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HISTORY 


OF 


THE  ZOAR  SOOETY 


FROM  ITS  COMMENCEMENT  TO 
ITS  CONCLUSION 


A SOCIOLOGICAL  STUDY  IN 
COMMUNISM 


By 

E.  O.  RANDALL 


THIRD  EDITION 


COLUMBUS,  OHIO 
PRESS  OF  FRED.  J.  HEBR 

1904 


\ 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress 
in  the  year  1899 

By  E.  O.  RANDALL 

In  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of 
Congress  at  Washington 


1 


THE  ZOAR  SOCIETY 

ZOAR,  OHIO 


E.  0,  RANDALL,  Sec*y, 
Columbus, 


September  H,  1899, 

Ohio, 


Dea.r  Sir : I ha.^e  ca.refuUy  read  your  history 
of  Zoar,  and  find  it  the  fullest  and  most  accurate 
yet  published  and  entirely  worthy  of  credence.  Your 
treatment  of  the  subject  is  fair  and  impartial. 

Yours  ^ery  truly, 

L,  ZIMMERMAN, 

Sec'y  and  Treas, 


NOTE  BY  THE  AUTHOR 


The  monograph  herewith  published  in  book  form, 
“The  Separatist  Society  of  Zoar,”  is  reprinted, 
by  permission,  from  the  publications  of  the  Ohio  State 
Archaeological  and  Historical  Society.  It  appeared  in 
the  Quarterly  for  July,  1899,  Volume  VIII,  No.  i. 
While  the  “Zoarites”  have  attracted  much  attention 
not  only  in  the  United  States  but  even  in  Europe, 
especially  among  the  students  of  history  and  Sociology, 
yet  so  far  as  known  to  the  writer,  no  extended  account 
of  the  Society  has  heretofore  been  published.  The 
purpose  of  the  present  writer  will  be  accomplished  if 
this  contribution  to  the  literature  of  American  Com- 
munism proves  to  be  of  any  value  to  the  student  or 
general  reader. 

E.  O.  Randall. 


Columbus,  Ohio,  Sept,  ii,  iSgg. 


The 


HISTORY  s 


OK 

Zoar 


Soeietr^-;. 


THE  SEPARATIST  SOCIETY  OF  ZOAR. 

AN  EXPERIMENT  IN  COMMUNISM  — FROM  ITS  COMMENCEMENT 
TO  ITS  CONCLUSION. 

BY  E.  O.  RANDAEL,  EE.  M.,  SECRETARY  OHIO  STATE  ARCHiEOEOGICAE 
AND  HISTORICAE  SOCIETY. 

It  is  somewhat  singular,  if  indeed  not  really  significant,, 
that  just  at  this  time  while  the  views  of  Edward  Bellamy^  are 
attracting  world-wide  attention  and  receiving  an  enthusiastic 
acceptance  almost  startling  in  its  extent,  one  of  the  most  com- 
plete and  perhaps  most  thoroughly  tried  applications  of  the  so- 

^ Edward  Bellamy,  born  Chicopee  Falls,  Mass.,  March  26,  1850; 
died  same  place.  May  22,  1898.  Author  of  “Looking  Backward”  (1889) 
and  “Equality”  (1897).  Editor  “The  New  Nation,”  established  January, 
1891.  These  works  advocate  a socialistic  communism.  Bellamy’s  books 
reached  a sale  of  hundreds  of  thousands  and  some  four  hundred  papers 
and  periodicals  have  been  established  devoted  to  his  theories,  while 
thousands  of  clubs  and  societies  have  been  formed  throughout  the  coun- 
try promotive  of  what  is  called  the  Nationalistic  Movement,  which  in 
certain  sections  has  taken  an  organized  political  character,  leading  to 
the  formation  of  local,  state  and  national  parties.  The  Nationalistic 
Movement  does  not  at  once  demand  the  adoption  of  the  perfected  ideal 
scheme  as  described  in  “Equality,”  but  tends  towards  an  Utopian  com- 
mune, to  be  preceded  “by  the  nationalization  of  industries,  including  as 
minor  applications  of  the  same  principle,  the  municipalization  and  state 
control  of  localized  business.” 

1 


2 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society. 


cial  scheme  of  communism  has  reached  a termination  and,  a 
self-confessed  failure,  has  passed  out  of  existence,  as  to  its  com- 
munistic feature,  and  that  too  after  a duration  of  more  than 
three  quarters  of  a century,  a continuance  apparently  under  the 
most  favorable  circumstances. 

OI'IGJN  OF  THE  SOCIETY. 

The  history  of  this  communistic  experiment  is  a sociologi- 
cal, study,  both  important  and  instructive.  It  is  the  history  of 
the  Separatist  Society  of  Zoar.  As  religion  was  the  funda- 
mental basis  of  the  organization,  the  object  of  its  formation,  the 
cause  of  its  emigration  to  this  country,  and  a prominent  ele- 
ment in  its  operation  and  final  failure,  some  considerable  space 
is  devoted  to  this  component  of  the  Zoar  Colony.  As  is  well 
known  to  every  reader  of  history,  the  reformation  in  Germany 
in  the  sixteenth  century  resulted  in  the  springing  up,  through- 
out the  fatherland,  of  innumerable  anti-Romish  sects.  This 
was  especially  true  in  those  countries  where  the  union  and 
united  oppression  of  the  church  and  state  had  become  unusually 
obnoxious  and  tyrannous.  The  Kingdom  of  Wurttemburg  be- 
came one  of  the  hotbeds  of  the  revolt  against  popedom  and 
churchdom,  and  for  three  or  four  centuries  before  the  reforma- 
tion, Wurttemburg  was  noted  for  the  reformatory  activity  of  its 
people. 

While  following  the  leadership  of  the  Wittenberg  Monk, 
Wurttemburg  became,  not  only  the  stronghold  of  Protestantism, 
but  also  a prolific  breeding  ground  for  countless  religious  inde- 
pendents, and  also  for  an  innumerable  variety  of  sects  and 
creeds.  As  early  as  1544,  two  years  before  the  death  of  Lu- 
ther, a preacher  of  Waiblingen  complained  that  there  were  as 
many  sects  in  Wurttemburg  as  there  were  houses.  The  Lutheran 
Church  became  the  church  of  the  state,  and  the  orthodox  clergy 
supported  by  the  compliant  government,  stood  up,  of  course, 
resolutely  against  the  dissenting  and  independent  religionists. 
Among  these  numerous  heterodoxies  the  Pietists  constituted 
one  of  the  strongest  and  most  influential  religious  parties — 
they  were  hardly  an  organized  sect — but  were  antagonists  to 
the  state  church.  This  sect,  or  rather  theological  school,  owed 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society. 


3 


its  origin  and  growth  to  the  writings  and  teachings  of  Johann 
Arndt  (1555-1621),  Johann  Andrea  (1586-1654)  and  Frederick 
Christoph  Oetinger  (1702-1782).  The  latter  was  an  enthusiastic 
disciple  of  the  mystic  philosophy  of  Jacob  Boehm  (1575-1624). 
Oetinger’s  heterodoxy  fostered  a species  of  dissent  known  as  Sep- 
aratism. The  Separatists  rejected  baptism,  confirmation  and 
other  ordinances.  They  declined  to  do  military , duty  or  take 
the  legal  oath,  and  refused  to  remove  their  hats  to  their  desig- 
nated superiors — they  had  no  superiors  in  their  own  estimation, 
as  all  men  were  equal  before  the  Lord.  They  would  not  permit 
their  children  to  attend  the  public  schools,  which  were  con- 
ducted by  the  Lutheran  clergy.  Disobedience  to  the  conven- 
tional forms  of  the  regular  church  and  the  dictates  of  the  ruling 
state,  naturally  brought  the  Separatists  into  conflict  with  the 
government.  They  were  insulted  and  persecuted.  They  were 
brought  before  the  civil  authorities  and  punished  with  floggings 
and  imprisonment.  Their  houses  and  lands  and  personal  prop- 
erty were  confiscated ; their  children  were  taken  from  them  and 
sent  to  orphans’  homes  or  other  public  institutions.  In  short, 
an  intolerable  and  bigoted  oppression  of  the  Separatists  pre- 
vailed, just  as  two  centuries  earlier  the  Puritans  of  England 
were  persecuted  by  the  Protestant  King  James.^  There  was 

^ The  interesting  fact  should  not  be  lost  sight  of  that  while  the  prime 
purpose  of  the  expedition  of  the  Mayflower  (1620),  under  the  reign  of 
King  James  I,  was  for  religious  liberty,  the  financial  plan  and  practical 
working  of  the  Pilgrim  Forefather  settlement  was  a phase  of  communism. 
The  Leyden  Emigrants  having  no  means  of  transportation  and  being 
scarce  of  funds,  entered  into  a hard  bargain  with  one  of  the  English 
Colonizing  Companies  of  London.  “In  their  arrangements  for  the  voy- 
age, and  the  business  foundation  and  management  of  the  colony,”  the 
Pilgrims  formed  a communistic  co-partnership.  The  Plymouth  Company 
of  London,  comprising  some  seventy  merchants,  handicraftsmen,  etc., 
“which  raised  the  stock  to  begin  this  plantation,”  had  an  original 
capital  of  some  seven  thousand  pounds,  divided  into  shares  of  ten 
pounds  each  ($50.00).  This  company  was  to  furnish  the  Pilgrims  trans- 
portation and  land  for  settlement.  The  Pilgrims  were  to  go  as  planters 
or  pioneers — they  were  to  become  stockholders  by  virtue  of  their  services 
or  contributions.  “The  shares  were  ten  (10)  pounds  each.  For  every 
person  going,  the  personality  (that  is,  from  sixteen  years  of  age)  was 
accounted  one  share  for  him  and  every  ten  pounds  put  in  by  him  (in 
funds  or  property)  was  accounted  an  additional  share.”  This  co-part- 


4 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society. 


no  alternative  for  the  Separatists  but  to  suffer  or  flee  the  coun- 
try. They  were  forced  to  emigration.  The  first  of  these  Sep- 
aratist departures  to  America  was  under  the  leadership  of  George 
Rapp,  the  eloquent  weaver-preacher  of  Iptingen,  Wiirttemburg. 
He  first  gathered  a small  congregation  in  his  own  house  in 
1787.  He  and  his  followers  were  duly  fined  ,and  imprisoned 
when  in  1804  some  six  hundred  of  them,  mainly  mechanics  and 
peasants,  landed  in  Philadelphia  and  finally  located  on  the  Ohio 
river  some  twenty  miles  northwest  of  Pittsburg,  in  Beaver 
county,  Penn.,  where  they  purchased  some  five  thousand  acres 
of  wild  land.  They  called  the  place  of  their  settlement  Econ- 
omy, and  they  “formally  and  solemnly  organized  themselves 
into  the  'Harmony  Society,’  agreeing  to  throw  all  their  pos- 
sessions into  a common  fund,  to  keep  thenceforth  all  things  in 
common ; and  to  labor  for  the  common  good  of  the  whole 
body.”^ 


nership  was  for  seven  years.  During  this  time  the  Pilgrim  colonists 
were  to  be  supported  out  of  the  common  colony  property.  At  the  end 
of  the  seven  years,  all  the  possessions  of  the  colony,  with  everything 
gained  by  them,  were  to  be  equally  divided  among  the  whole  of  the 
stockholders  — London  capitalists  as  well  as  Pilgrim  colonists.  Such 
was  the  contract,  the  essence  of  which  was  co-partnership  in  interest 
and  a communism  in  support  and  subsistence.  One  of  the  earliest 
studies,  therefore,  in  this  country  of  the  relations  of  capital  and  labor 
is  offered  in  the  establishment  of  the  Plymouth  colony.  In  1623  the 
colonists  raised  funds  through  English  friends  and  bought  out  the 
London  stockholders  in  the  company,  and  the  Pilgrims  thus  became 
possessed  of  all  the  stock  and  property  of  the  company. — [Pilgrim 
Fathers,  G.  B.  Cheever,  page  107.] 

* The  Harmonists  or  Rappists,  as  sometimes  called,  remained  in 
Economy  ten  years  and  then  moved  to  New  Harmony,  Indiana,  re- 
maining there  till  1824,  when  they  sold  their  land  to  Robert  Owen,  the 
scientist  and  philanthropist,  author  of  “New  View  of  Society”  and 
“The  Book  of  the  New  Moral  World.”  For  three  years  Owen  tested 
his  socialistic  theories  at  New  Harmony  when  the  experiment  became 
unsuccessful  and  was  abandoned,  Owen  returning  to  England,  his  native 
country.  The  Harmonists  (1824)  returned  to  Economy,  which  has  ever 
since  been  their  abiding  place.  They  suffered  many  vicissitudes,  dissensions 
and  desertions.  Several  times  seceders  established  other  communistic 
societies.  The  Harmonists  at  Economy  numbered  at  one  time  over  a 
thousand  members — and  in  their  palmiest  days  were  reported  possessed 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society. 


5 


The  company  that  comprised  the  Zoar  colony  departed  from 
Wiirttemburg  in  April,  1817.  A few  months  earlier  several  of 
their  number  were  sent  to  Antwerp  to  engage  a ship  to  trans- 
port them  to  America.  They  chose  as  their  leader  one  Jo- 
seph M.  Baumler,  which  name  was  later  changed  for  the  sake 
of  English  euphony  to  Bimeler  and  is  so  known  to-day  in  Zoar 
and  elsewhere.  Bimeler  was  of  humble  and  obscure  peasant 
origin  but  a man  of  unusual  ability  and  independence,  a 
teacher,  a natural  leader  and  a fluent  speaker.  He  easily 
became  by  common  consent  the  guide  and  mentor  of  a large 
following.  There  were  some  three  hundred  in  this  pilgrim 
company.  They  were  from  the  poorer  class  of  their  country- 
men. Many  were  unable  to  pay  their  passage,  which  w^as  pro- 
vided for  by  some  of  their  more  fortunate  companions  and  ma- 
terial assistance  was  rendered  to  these  religious  emigrants  by 
the  sympathizing  “Society  of  Friends,”  the  Quakers  of  Eng- 
land. The  journey  of  the  Separatists  lasted  some  three  months, 
and  the  voyagers  landed  in  Philadelphia  on  August  14,  1817. 
They  were  kindly  received  in  the  City  of  Brotherly  Love  by 
their  friends,  the  Quakers,  who  provided  a large  building  in 
which  the  Separatists  could  remain  until  departing  for  their 
western  home.  As  further  acts  of  aid  by  the  Quakers,  it  is  re- 
lated that  the  “Society  of  Friends”  in  England  had  sent  a 
considerable  sum  of  money  to  America  for  the  use  of  the  worthy 
but  destitute  Wurttemburgers — a sum  amounting  to  about  eight- 
een dollars  for  each  Separatist.  This  fund  was  given  the  re- 
cipients upon  their  arrival  in  Philadelphia  and  was  used  later 
to  send  them  on  to  their  destination  in  the  Tuscarawas  Valley. 
As  most  of  these  emigrants  reached  Philadelphia  “in  an  im- 


of  property  valued  in  the  millions.  They  made  large  real  estate  invest- 
ments which  proved  exceedingly  profitable,  for  the  coal  mines,  oil 
wells,  etc.  They  built  up  large  industries,  shipping  their  goods  through- 
out the  country.  The  past  few  years  they  have  rapidly  declined.  They 
number  now  less  than  a dozen  members.  Their  manufactories  are  mostly 
abandoned.  Their  property  has  been  mainly  sold  and  that  remaining 
has  greatly  depreciated  in  value  and  is  more  or  less  encumbered.  The 
society  has  practically  lost  its  co-operative  character  and  its  fate  as  a 
communistic  society  will  doubtless  be  at  no  distant  day  that  of  its  kin- 
dred at  Zoar. 


6 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society. 


poverished  condition/’  this  Quaker  beneficence  came  to  tliem 
like  an  act  of  Providence  and  the  Separatists  have  always  pre- 
served a warm  spot  in  their  hearts  for  the  generous  and  sym- 
pathetic Quakers.  They  tarried  in  Philadelphia  several  months, 
during  which  time  Bimeler  arranged  for  the  Ohio  settlement. 
He  purchased  of  one  Godfrey  Haga  a tratt  of  five  thousand 
five  hundred  acres  of  land,  a military  grant  in  the  wilderness 
of  Tuscarawas  county.  He  was  to  pay  three  dollars  per  acre, 
giving  fifteen  hundred  dollars  cash  —(loaned,  it  is  said,  by 
their  Quaker  friends) — and  his  (Bimeler’s)  individual  notes  for 
fifteen  thousand  dollars,  secured  by  a mortgage  on  the  land 
for  that  amount,  to  be  paid  in  fifteen  years,  the  first  three  years 
to  be  without  interest. ' This  transaction  was  solely  in  the 
name  of  Bimeler,  but  with  the  understanding  that  each  mem- 
ber of  the  society  should  have  an  interest  therein  proportionate 
to  the  amount  he  might  contribute  to  the  payment  for  the  land. 
Bimeler,  with  a chosen  few  of  his  company,  went  out  to  take 
possession  of  this  purchase  December,  1817,  when  the  first  log 
hut  was  erected,  others  rapidly  following,  on  the  site  of  the 
present  village  of  Zoar.^  The  colonists  were  as  fast  as  pos- 
sible to  cluster  their  humble  homes  about  this  chosen  center, 
after  the  custom  of  the  German  peasant  farmers  wdio  settle  in  a^ 
common  locality  rather  than  scatter  their  dwellings  upon  their 
respective  and  more  or  less  distant  farms. 

In  the  succeeding  spring  (1818)  the  colonists  then  remain- 
ing in  Philadelphia  went  on  and  took  up  their  abode  at  Zoar 
— that  is  all  that  were  able  to  do  so.  Many  were  too  poor 
to  reach  there  without  assistance  and  a large  number  were  com- 
pelled to  take  service  with  neighboring  farmers  to  earn  sup- 
port for  themselves  and  families.  They  were  almost  wholly 
unskilled  workmen  and  many  delayed  their  journey  at  an  op- 


‘Zoar  was,  as  may  be  surmised,  so  named  from  the  ancient  town 
on  the  shore  of  the  Dead  Sea,  a city  described  in  Genesis  as  “a  little 
one”  to  which  Lot  was  permitted  to  take  refuge  in  his  flight  from 
Sodom.  The  choosing  of  this  name  is  indicative  of  the  religious  char- 
acter and  purpose  of  the  Separatists.  They  have  generally  been  known 
as  “Zoarites.” 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society,  7 

portune  station  to  acquire  a knowledge  of  some  useful  trade  or 
calling. 

This  Separatist  emigration  had  been  primarily  for  the  pur- 
pose of  securing  religious  liberty ; secondarily  for  better  oppor- 
tunities of  obtaining  a livelihood.  They  had  thus  far  no  in- 
tention of  forming  a communistic  society ; they  held  their  in- 
terests individually,  and  it  was  expected  that  each  rhember 
should  pay  for  his  own  share  of  the  land,  which  had  been  se- 
cured by  Bimeler  to  be  subsequently  divided  and  sold  among 
separate  purchasers.  But  the  members  were  unequal  in  age, 
strength,  experience,  energy  and  enterprise.  They  soon  real- 
ized that  their  individual  inequality  stood  in  the  way  of  the 
collective  success  of  the  company.  “Having  among  them  a 
certain  number  of  old  and  feeble  people  and  many  poor  who 
' found  it  difficult  to  save  money  to  pay  for  their  land,  the  lead- 
ing men  presently  saw  that  the  enterprise  would  fail  unless  it 
was  established  upon  a different  foundation ; and  that  neces- 
sarily would  compel  the  people  to  scatter.”  Early  in  1819  the 
leaders,  after  consultation,  determined  that,  to  succeed,  they 
must  establish  a community  of  goods  and  efforts,  and  draw 
into  themselves  all  whom  poverty  had  compelled  to  take  ser- 
vice at  a distance.  This  resolution  was  laid  before  the  whole 
society,  and  after  some  weeks  of  discussion  was  agreed  to ; and 
on  the  15th  of  April  articles  of  agreement  for  a community  of 
goods  were  signed.  There  were  then  about  two  hundred  and 
twenty-five  persons,  men,  women  and  children.^ 

These  articles  of  association  were  dated  April  19,  1819,  and 
were  signed  by  fifty-three  males  and  one  hundred  and  four  fe- 
males. The  articles  created  a common  unity  of  interests,  pre- 
sent and  prospective,  whereby  all  the  property  of  individual 
members,  and  their  future  earnings,  should  become  the  com- 
mon stock  of  the  association,  to  be  taken  care  of  and  man- 
aged by  directors  to  be  elected  annually  by  the  members.® 

“ Nordhoff,  Communistic  Societies  in  the  United  States,  page  10k 

® The  articles  of  association  entered  into  by  the  society  were  prefaced 
by  the  following  preamble:  “The  undersigned,  members  of  the  Society 
of  Separatists  of  Zoar,  have,  from  a true  Christian  love  towards  God 
and  their  fellow  men,  found  themselves  convinced  and  induced  to  unite 


s 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society. 


In  March,  1824,  amendatory  articles^  containing  features 
similar  to  but  more  extended  than  those  of  1819,  were  drawn  up 
and  signed  by  about  sixty  males  and  one  hundred  females, 


themselves  according  to  the  Christian  Apostolic  sense,  under  the  follow- 
ing rules  through  a communion  of  property;  and  they  do  hereby  de- 
termine and  declare  that  from  the  day  of  this  date,  the  following  rules 
shall  be  valid  and  in  effect:” 

1.  “Each  and  every  member  does  hereby  renounce  all  and  every 
right  of  ownership,  of  their  present  and  future  movable  and  immovable 
property;  and  leave  the  same  to  the  disposition  of  the  directors  of  the 
society  elected  by  themselves. 

2.  “The  society  elects  out  of  its  own  members  their  directors  and 
tnanagers,  who  shall  conduct  the  general  business  transactions,  and 
•exercise  the  general  duties  of  the  society.  They  therefore  take  possession 
of  all  the  active  and  passive  property  of  all  the  members,  whose  duty 
it  shall  be  at  the  same  time  to  provide  for  them;  and  said  directors  are 
further  bound  to  give  an  account  to  the  society  of  all  their  business 
transactions.” 

The  other  articles  relate  to  the  duties  of  the  members  of  the  society, 
the  adjustment  of  difficulties  which  may  arise  among  them,  and  an 
agreement  that  backsliding  members  cannot,  either  for  property  brought 
in,  nor  for  their  labor  in  the  society,  demand  any  compensation  or  resti- 
tution, except  under  the  order  of  a majority  of  the  society. 

5 McLean,  page  224. 

’“We,  the  undersigned,  inhabitants  of  Zoar  and  its  vicinity,  etc., 
being  fully  persuaded  and  intending  to  give  more  full  satisfaction  to 
our  consciences,  in  the  fulfillment  of  the  duties  of  Christianity,  and 
to  plant,  establish  and  confirm  the  spirit  of  love  as  the  bond  of  peace 
and  union  for  ourselves  and  posterity  forever,  as  a safe  foundation  of 
social  order,  do  seek  and  desire,  out  of  pure  Christian* love  and  per- 
suasion, to  unite  our  several  personal  interests,  into  one  common  in- 
terest, and,  if  possible,  to  avoid  and  prevent  law  suits  and  contentions, 
or  otherwise  to  settle  and  arbitrate  them,  under  the  following  rules,  in 
order  to  avoid  the  disagreeable  and  costly  course  of  the  law,  as  much 
as  possible.  Therefore,  we  unite  and  bind  ourselves  by  and  through 
the  common  and  social  contract  under  the  name  and  title  of  “The 
Separatist  Society  of  Zoar,”  and  we  agree  and  bind  ourselves,  and 
promise  each  to  the  other  and  all  together,  that  we  will  strictly  hold  to, 
observe,  and  support  all  the  following  rules  and  regulations.  New 
articles,  amendments,  or  alterations,  in  favor  of  the  above  expressed 
intentions,  to  be  made  with  the  consent  of  the  members. 

“We,  the  undersigned,  members  of  the  second  class  of  the  Society 
of  Separatists,  declare,  through  this  first  article,  the  entire  renuncia- 
tion and  resignation  of  all  our  property  of  all  and  every  dimension,  form 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society. 


9 


under  which  articles,  with  those  of  1819,  the  affairs  of  the 
Society  were  thereafter  managed.  On  February  6,  1832,  the  So- 
ciety was  incorporated  under  the  then  existing  laws  of  Ohio, 

and  shape,  present  and  future,  movable  and  immovable,  or  both,  for 
ourselves  and  our  posterity,  with  all  and  every  right  of  ownership, 
titles,  claims  and  privileges,  to  the  aforesaid  Society  of  Separatists, 
with  the  express  condition  that,  from  the  date  of  the  subscription  of 
each  member,"*  such  property  shall  be  forever,  and  consequently  also 
after  the  death  of  such  member  or  members,  remain  the  property  of  the 
said  Separatist  Society.” 

Directors  were  to  be  elected  by  the  society,  who  were  authorized 
to  take  all  the  property  of  the  individual  members  and  of  the  society 
into  their  disposition,  and  to  hold  and  manage  the  same  expressly  for 
the  general  benefit  of  the  society,  according  to  the  prescriptions  of  the 
articles.  They  shall  have  power  to  trade,  to  purchase  and  to  sell,  to 
conclude  contracts  and  dissolve  them  again,  to  give  orders  if  all  of  them 
agree,  with  the  consent  of  the  cashier,  who  was  to  be  elected  by  the 
society.  -They  were  “to  appoint  agents  and  to  conduct  the  entire  pro*- 
vision  of  all  and  every  member  in  boarding,  clothing  and  other  neces- 
saries of  life,  in  such  proportion  as  the  situation,  time,  circumstances 
may  require.”  And  the  members  bound  themselves  to  obey  the  orders 
and  regulations  of  the  directors  and  their  agents.  The  children  of  the 
members,  during  their  minority,  were  to  be  subject  to  the  control  of 
the  directors,  but  without  the  votes  of  a majority  of  the  society,  they 
cannot  bind  apprentices  out  of  the  association. 

The  directors  are  required  to  take  charge  of  inheritances  of  de- 
ceased members  as  universal  heirs,  in  the  name  of  the  society;  to  investi- 
gate and  settle  disputes  among  the  members,  an  appeal  being  allowed  to 
a board  of  arbitrators,  which  was  to  be  elected  and  to  consist  of  from 
one  to  three  persons.  The  arbitrators  were  bound  to  observe  the  economy 
of  the  society,  and  give  orders  and  instructions,  to  investigate  accounts 
and  plans  which  may  have  been  made  by  the  directors  and  their  agents. 
All  transactions,  exceeding  in  amount  fifty  dollars,  to  be  valid,  required 
the  sanction  of  the  board  of  arbitration.  This  board  had  also  the  power 
to  excommunicate  arbitrary  and  refractory  members,  and  to  deprive 
them  of  all  future  enjoyments  of  the  society. 

New  members  were  to  be  admitted,  being  of  full  age,  having  been 
approved  of  by  the  directors  and  board  of  arbitration,  by  a vote  of  two- 
thirds  of  the  society;  and  on  condition  that  they  should  resign  all  their 
property  to  the  society,  as  had  been  done  by  the  original  members. 
Directors  and  arbitrators  were  to  be  elected  as  often  as  shall  be  deemed 
necessary  by  the  society.  “The  highest  power  shall  be  and  remain  for- 
ever in  the  hands  and  disposition  of  the  society,  who  reserve  the  right 
at  pleasure  to  remove  and  to  establish  officers,  or  to  place  others  in 
their  stead;  in  short,  to  make  any  alteration  which  may  be  deemed  best.”' 


10 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society. 


by  the  name  of  “The  Society  of  Separatists  of  Zoar.”  This 
conferred  upon  the  Society  the  ordinary  and  usual  powers  of 
a corporation,  with  perpetual  succession,  with  power  to  hold 
property,  purchase  and  sell,  pass  by-laws,  etc.® 

On  May  14,  1833,  at  a meeting  of  the  members  of  the  So- 
ciety, called  in  pursuance  of  said  act  of  incorporation,  an  or- 
ganization was  efifected  and  a constitution  adopted  for  the  gov- 
ernment of  the  Society,  under  which  its  affairs  have  ever  since 
been  regulated.  All  the  members  under  the  articles  who  re- 
mained in  the  Society  at  the  adoption  of  the  constitution,  be- 
came members  of  the  Society  in  its  corporate  capacity. 

According  to  the  constitution®  of  the  Society  adopted  un- 
der the  articles  of  incorporation  (1832),  the  members  were  di- 
vided into  two  classes,  the  novitiates  and  the  full  associates. 
The  novitiates  were  obliged  to  serve  at  least  one  year  before 
admission  to  the  second  class  and  this  applied  to  the  children 
of  the  members,  if  on  becoming  of  age  they  wished  to  join  the 
Society.  The  full  associates  must  be  of  legal  age,  the  males 
twenty-one  and  the  females  eighteen.  The  members  of  the 
first  or  probationary  class  did  not  give  up  their  property.  A 
child  of  a member  or  an  incoming  outsider,  wishing  to  enter 
the  Society,  was  admitted  to  the  first  class  if  the  officials  of 
the  Society  found  no  objection.  Later  on  the  candidate  made 
application  for  full  membership.  The  trustees  would  formally 
receive  this  request,  inquire  into  the  case  as  far  as  seemed 
necessary,  and  if  no  cause  to  reject  was  presented,  they  there- 

The  cashier  was  bound  to  keep  all  the  funds  of  the  association,  and  to 
apply  all  moneys  which  may  come  to  his  hands,  by  the  orders  of  the 
directors  and  arbitrators,  to  the  benefit  of  the  society — to  pay  its  debts 
and  to  liquidate  its  general  wants.” 

And  it  is  agreed  that  individual  demands  by  backsliding  members, 
or  such  as  have  been  excommunicated,  whether  such  demands  may  be 
for  goods,  or  other  effects,  or  for  services  rendered  to  the  society,  are 
abolished  and  abrogated  by  the  members  themselves  and  their  posterity. 
These  articles  are  declared  to  be  confirmatory  of  those  of  1819,  and 
extending  to  a more  detailed  explanation. 
h McLean  Reports,  225. 

®Vol.  30,  Ohio  Laws,  page  92.  (See  p.  77  this  article.) 

•This  constitution  will  be  fo;inid  in  full  on  p.  79,  etc. 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society. 


11 


upon  would,  by  posting  his  name  in  the  public  meeting  room, 
give  thirty  days’  notice  to  the  Society  of  the  time  and  place  at 
which  he  was  to  sign  the  covenant.  At  the  appointed  date  he 
would  subscribe  to  the  constitution^®  and  yield  up  to  the  So- 
ciety any  and  all  property  he  might  then  possess.  It  was  notV^ 
required  that  he  have  any  property,  but  he  could  not  be  ad- 
mitted if  he  were  in  debt. 

Strangers  who  came  to  Zoar  for  admission  during  the  pro- 
bationary year  received  food,  clothing  and  lodging,  but  no  pay- 
ment. During  the  early  years  of  the  Society  many  friends  and 
relatives  of  the  first  comers  emigrated  from  Germany  and  joined 
the  colony.  Very  few  other  foreigners  became  converts.  Oc- 
casionally an  outsider  would  enter  the  community  because  of 
marriage  to  a member.  But  outside  accessions  or  conversions 
were  exceedingly  few.  No  native  American  is  known  to  have 
entered  the  Society.^  According  to  the  constitution  of  the  So- 
ciety, all  officers  were  elected  by  the  whole  Society,  the  women 
voting  as  well  as  the  men — all  elections  being  by  ballot  and  a 
majority  vote.  The  government  of  the  community  vested 
solely  in  a board  of  three  trustees  (or  directors)  to  serve  three 

^°The  covenant  the  elected  subscribed  to  was  as  follows:  “We, 
the  subscribers,  members  of  the  Society  of  Separatists  of  the  second 
class,  declare  hereby  that  we  give  all  our  property,  of  every  kind,  not 
only  what  we  already  possess,  but  what  we  may  hereafter  come  into 
possession  of  by  inheritance,  gift,  or  otherwise,  real  and  personal,  and 
all  rights,  titles,  and  expectations  whatever,  both  for  ourselves  and  our 
heirs,  to  the  said  society  forever,  to  be  and  remain,  not  only  during 
our  lives,  but  after  our  deaths,  the  exclusive  property  of  the  society. 
Also  we  promise  and  bind  ourselves  to  obey  all  the  commands  and 
orders  of  the  trustees  and  their  subordinates,  with  the  utmost  zeal  and 
diligence,  without  opposition  or  grumbling;  and  to  devote  all  our 
strength,  good-will,  diligence,  and  skill,  during  our  whole  lives,  to 
Jhe  common  service  of  the  society  and  for  the  satisfaction  of  its  trustees. 
Also  we  consign  in  a similar  manner  our  children,  so  long  as  they  are 
minors,  to  the  charge  of  the  trustees,  giving  these  the  same  rights  and 
powers  over  them  as  though  they  had  been  formally  indentured  to  them 
under  the  laws  of  the  state.” 

An  old  member  stated  that  a “Yankee,”  by  which  he  meant  a 
New  Englander,  lived  with  the  colony  several  years,  but  never  became 
a legal  member. 


12 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society, 


years  each,  one  to  be  elected  annually.^^  These  trustees  had  un- 
limited power  over  the  custody  and  management  of  the  prop- 
erty, and  all  the  temporalities  of  the  Society,  but  were  bound 
to  provide  clothing,  board  and  dwelling  for  each  member,  “with- 
out respect  to  person” ; and  to  use  all  means  confided  to  their 
charge  for  the  best  interests  of  the  Society.  They  had  the  man- 
agement of  all  the  industries  and  affairs  of  the  Society.  They 
designated  to  each  member  his  especial  work.  But  in  this  they 
consulted  the  inclination  and  peculiar  abilities  of  the  member, 
endeavoring  to  fit  each  man  into  the  place  for  which  he  was 
best  adapted.  The  trustees  appointed  the  subordinates  and  su- 
perintendents of  the  different  industries  and  departments  of 
labor.  This  board  of  trustees,  which  might  be  called  the  ad- 
ministration committee,  was  accustomed  to  hold  monthly  meet- 
ings in  which  foreign  and  home  affairs  were  considered  and  trans- 
acted. Beside  this  ruling  board  of  trustees  there  was  a stand- 
ing committee  or  council  of  five,  one  member  being  elected  each 
year.  This  standing  committee  or  council  was  the  supreme  ju- 
diciary or  board  of  arbitration  of  the  Society.  It  was  the 
high  court  of  appeals  in  cases  of  disagreement,  dissension 
and  complaint.  This  council  had  power  to  excommunicate 
arbitrary  and  refractory  members,  and  to  cross  out  their  sig- 
natures and  deprive  them  of  all  participation  in  the  affairs  of 
the  Society.  It  was  agreed  that  all  disputes  should  be  settled 
by  arbitration  alone  and  within  the  Society.  The  trustees  en- 
deavored to  act  at  all  times  in  harmony  with  this  council.  The 
Society  elected  once  in  four  years  a cashier  or  treasurer, whose 
duties  were  those  of  secretary  and  treasurer^  He  had  sole  and 
exclusive  control  of  all  the  moneys  of  the  Society,  the  trus- 
tees being  obliged  to  hand  over  to  his  custody  all  they  received. 
He  kept  the  books  and  had  immediate  oversight  over  the  bus- 
iness transactions  of  the  Society^  There  was  also  an  elected 
officer  known  as  the  Agent  General,^^  who  acted  as  the  trader 
to  buy  and  sell  for  the  Society  in  its  dealings  with  the  outside 
world,  make  and  conduct  contracts,  etc.  The  office  of  Agent 

“See  Constitution,  Article  II. 

“ Article  V of  the  Constitution. 

“Article  III  of  the  Constitution. 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society. 


13 


General  was,  when  created,  regarded  as  the  position  of  honor 
and  influence  in  the  Society,  and  to  it  Joseph  Bimeler  was 
elected.  It  was  the  one  office  he  held  and  he  continued  in  it  to 
his  death,  after  which  the  office  always  remained  vacant.  The 
duties  of  this  office  were  subsequently  performed  by  the  cashier 
or  one  of  the  trustees.  The  time  and  place  of  an  election  by 
the  Society  were  made  public  twenty  days  beforehand  by  the 
trustees  and  five  members  were  chosen  at  each  election  to  be 
managers  and  judges.  The  office  of  president  was  unknown. 
The  constitution  was  read  in  a public  and  general  meeting  of 
the  members  of  the  Society,  at  least  once  every  year,  at  which 
time  the  villagers  met  and  discussed  and  acted  upon  their  af- 
fairs much  as  was  the  custom  in  the  New  England  town  meet- 
ings. -So  far  as  Zoar  had  any  political  form  of  procedure,  it 
was  a pure  democracy. 

THE  RELIGION  OF  THE  ZOARITES. 

We  have  already  alluded  at  some  length  to  the  religious 
origin  in  Wiirttemburg  of  the  Separatists  as  a sect.  We  can 
not  properly  study  the  Zoar  community  without  a thorough 
understanding  of  their  religious  faith  and  practices. 

The  '‘Principles  of  the  Separatists,’^  which  were  set  forth 
in  the  works  of  Joseph  Bimeler,  were  evidently  framed  in  Ger- 
many. They  consisted  of  twelve  articles,  as  follows: 

‘T.  We  believe  and  confess  the  Trinity  of  God ; Father, 
Son  and  Holy  Ghost. 

'TI.  The  fall  of  Adam,  and  of  all  mankind,  with  the  loss 
thereby  of  the  likeness  of  God  in  them. 

‘TIL  The  return  through  Christ  to  God,  our  proper 
Father. 

“IV.  The  Holy  Scriptures  as  the  measure  and  guide  of 
our  lives,  and  the  touchstone  of  truth  and  falsehood.  All  our 
other  principles  arise  out  of  these,  and  rule  our  conduct  in  the 
religious,  spiritual,  and  natural  life. 

“V.  All  ceremonies  are  banished  from  among  us,  and  we 
declare  them  useless  and  injurious,  and  this  is  the  chief  cause  of 
our  Separation. 


14 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society. 


“VI.  We  render  to  no  mortal,  honors  due  to  God,  as  to 
uncover  the  head,  or  to  bend  the  knee.  Also  we  address  every 
one  as  'thou’ — du. 

“VII.  We  separate  ourselves  from  all  ecclesiastical  con- 
nections and  constitutions,  because  true  Christian  life  requires 
no  sectarianism,  while  set  forms  and  ceremonies  cause  sectarian 
divisions. 

“VIII.  Our  marriages  are  contracted  by  mutual  consent, 
and  before  witnesses.  They  are  then  notified  to  the  political 
authority ; and  we  reject  all  intervention  of  priests  or  preachers. 

“IX.  All  intercourse  of  the  sexes,  except  what  is  necessary 
to  the  perpetuation  of  the  species,  we  hold  to  be  sinful  and 
contrary  to  the  order  and  command  of  God.  Complete  virginity 
or  entire  cessation  of  sexual  commerce  is  more  commendable 
than  marriage. 

“X.  We  can  not  send  our  children  into  the  schools  of 
Babylon  (meaning  the  clerical  schools  of  Germany),  where  other 
principles  contrary  to  these  are  taught. 

“XL  We  can  not  serve  the  state  as  soldiers,  because  a 
Christian  can  not  murder  his  enemy,  much  less  his  friend. 

“XII.  We  regard  the  political  government  as  absolutely 
necessary  to  maintain  order,  and  to  protect  the  good  and  hon- 
est and  punish  the  wrong-doers ; and  no  one  can  prove  us 
to  be  untrue  to  the  constituted  authorities.” 

Joseph  Bimeler  was  not  only  their  leader  and  guide  to  this 
country,  but  he  was  their  priest  and  prophet,  if  such  they  had. 
Bimeler  was  their  spiritual  leader  and  preacher,  not  by  any 
formal  authority,  but  merely  universal  acquiescence.  The 
standard,  and  indeed  the  only  theological  literature  of  the  Zoar- 
ites,  consists  of  the  works,  or  rather  printed  discourses,  of  Bi- 
meler.^®  They  are  in  three  large  octave  volumes,  the  first  four 
parts  having  the  common  title : 

On  the  subject  of  the  faith  of  the  Zoarites  I have  made  free  use 
of  a little  German  Pamphlet,  by  Karl  Knortz:  “Aus  der  Mappe  eines 
Deutsch-Amerikaners.”  Bamburg,  1893.  Herr  Knortz  carefully  examined 
the  works  of  Bimeler  and  in  his  pamphlet  gives  a summary  of  many 
of  Bimeler’s  views. 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society, 


15 


THE  TRUE  SEPARATION 

OR 

THE  SECOND  BIRTH. 

SET  FORTH  IN 

BRII.I.IANT  AND  EDIFYING  CONVENTION  SPEECHES 

AND 

MEDITATIONS. 


PERTAINING  ESPECIAEEY  TO  THE  PRESENT  TIME. 

Heed  in  the  Community  of  Zoar  in  1830. 


Printed  in  Zoar,  O.,  1856-1860. 


These  ponderous  volumes  of  theological  thought  and  re- 
ligious reflection  are  in  German  and  have  never  been  trans- 
lated. The  original  copies  are  rare ; very  few  Zoar  families 
possess  a copy.  The  last  two  parts  bear  the  title : 

SOMETHING  FOR  THE  HEART 

OR 

SPIRITUAE  CRUMBS 

From  the  Tabee  of  the  Eord. 

GATHERED 

By  a devout  SOUE 

AND  COMMUNICATED  WITH  THE  INTENTION  OF  A BEESSED  ONE. 

CONSISTING 

Of  a Coeeection  of  Excerpts  of  Many  Forcefue 
Speeches  and  Observations; 

particuearey  directed  toward  the  inner  eife 

PuBEiCEY  Heed  and  Read  by  a Friend 
OF  God  in  Truth  in  Zoar. 

ESPECIAEEY  adapted  TO  THE  PRESENT  TIME. 


Printed  in  Zoar,  O.,  1860-1861. 


16 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society. 


Besides  the  history  of  Bimeler’s  separation,  these  works 
contain  speeches,  which  the  Zoarite  teacher  made  before 
his  people,  in  a language  which  was  clear  and  easily  un- 
derstood, although  not  always  correct.  According  to  the  tes- 
timony of  the  publisher,  they  are  to  be  considered  as  direct  man- 
ifestations of  the  Holy  Ghost,  as  Bimeler  never  studied  or  com- 
mitted his  utterances.  In  his  opinion,  the  separation  of  the  peo- 
ple, who  had  inwardly  renounced  the  world  and  received  Christ 
into  themselves,  from  the  false  Christians,  was  a necessary  pos- 
tulate in  the  interest  of  the  salvation  of  the  former.  In  the  same 
manner,  it  was  necessary  to  declare  war  on  the  official  clergy, 
who  were  called  “lazy  and  useless  servants,”  and  of  whom  it 
was  said,  that  by  their  empty,  ceremonious  trifles  they  de- 
luded the  people  and  kept  them  from  entering  upon  the  road 
of  truth. 

From  these  speeches,  a truth-loving,  believing  Christian, 
as  well  as  a true  and  honest  character  speaks  to  us  and  all 
living  Separatists,  who  had  listened  to  the  sermons  of  Bimeler, 
have  unanimously  declared  that  he  lived  up  to  his  teachings. 
In  his  speeches,  which  abound  in  hints  for  the  practical  life, 
we  now  and  then  meet  with  declarations  which  would  greatly 
honor  a modern  progressive  theologian.  Thus,  for  instance, 
he  says  that  the  religious  needs  of  mankind  are  not  the  same 
at  all  times  and  that,  therefore,  divine  revelation  progresses 
and  assumes  a character  adapted  to  existing  conditions.  Bime- 
ler preached  from  1817  to  1853,  l^^at  is,  to  the  year  of  his 
death.  He  did  not  write  his  speeches  down,  and  the  same  would 
probably  never  have  been  printed  had  it  not  been  that  a patient 
and  dutiful  youth  of  Zoar  had  written  them  down  from  his 
memory  at  the  request  of  his  deaf  father,  who  did  not  attend 
the  meetings.  This  work  \he  son  performed  during  the  night,  as 
in  day-time  he  had  to  follow  his  accustomed  occupation.  His 
memoranda  embrace  the  time  from  1822  to  1832.  In  the  last 
mentioned  year  the  reporter  died,  but  happily  there  was  another 
young  man  who  possessed  the  necessary  clerical  skill  to  save 
Bimeler’s  meditations  from  oblivion.  When  the  founder  of  Zoar 
died  (1853),  there  vx/as  not  a man  in  the  whole  colony  who 
could  fill  his  place  as  speaker.  For  a time  they  read  to  each 


FORMER  RESIDENCE  OF  JOSEPH  P, I MERE 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society. 


17 


other  from  good  books,  but  as  is  said  in  the  preface  to  Bimeler’s 
Meditations,  by  the  compiler,  “It  was  not  quite  so  agreeable/’ 

So  the  Separatists  resolved  to  have  Bimeler’s  speeches 
printed,  that  they  might  be  read  at  their  services.  They  also 
believed  it  would  be  a great  sin,  if  they  did  not  put  to  the 
best  possible  Christian  use  the  good  which  had  been  entrusted 
to  them.  They  therefore  purchased  a hand-press ; and  as  they 
found  no  one  in  Zoar  who  knew  how  to  use  it,  they  engaged 
a practical  compositor  and  a printer,  who  were  charged  with  su- 
perintending the  printing  of  the  work.  The  second  publica- 
tion which  was  issued  from  the  hand-press  of  the  Separatists 
at  Zoar,  is  a collection  of  poems  or  hymns  by  Terstegen,  the 
mystic  poet  of  the  Reformed  Church  (1687-1769).  Terstegen’s 
collection  was  used  by  the  Zoarites  in  their  church  services.  The 
works  of  Bimeler  and  Terstegen  were  the  only  productions  of 
the  Zoar  press.  The  printing  outfit  was  subsequently  sold  and 
removed  from  the  village. 

The  Zoarites  firmly  continued  in  their  view,  that  ever- 
lasting happiness  could  not  be  attained  by  outward  ceremony, 
which  rather  led  people  astray.  Therefore,  the  Wurttemburg 
school  teacher,  Bimeler,  made  it  his  purpose  to  bring  light  to  the 
true  teachings  of  Christ  and  to  proclaim  them  courageously  to  his 
followers.  As  the  preface  of  Bimeler’s  sermons  says:  “Chris- 
tianity must  be  a thing  of  the  heart.  Man  must  divert  himself 
of  his  bad  qualities  and  of  his  passion,  and  deny  his  own  vi- 
cious will  and  subordinate  it  to  God  in  order  that  the  old  Adam 
die  in  him  and  Christ  may  arise  anew.” 

The  Separatists  were  fond  of  designating  themselves  as  those? 
who  have  found  the  way  that  leads  to  eternal  life. 

The  sermons  of  Bimeler  profess  to  proclaim  true  Christi- 
anity and  their  author  was  considered  the  mouthpiece  of  the 
Holy  Ghost.  Therefore,  it  is  the  latter  that  speaks  in  these 
books  and  not  the  founder  of  Zoar,  who  is  nowhere  men- 
tioned. Bimeler  used  to  say,  before  he  commenced  his  “meet- 
ing speech” : “When  I come  here,  I generally  come  empty,  with- 
out knowing  whereof  I am  going  to  speak.  I first  get  an  in- 
spiration what  and  of  what  I am  going  to  speak,  but  as  soon 
2 


18 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society. 

as  I commence  to  speak  an  infinite  field  of  ideas  opens  before 
me,  so  I can  choose  where  and  what  I like  and  what  seems  to 
jne  the  most  necessary.” 

' In  these  speeches  Bimeler  showed  how  man,  after  he 
leaves  the  state  of  innocence,  starts  on  the  road  of  nature 
which  leads  him  to  eternal  damnation.  But,  if  like  the  lost  son, 
•he  turns  at  the  right  time  and  cleanses  his  heart  by  penitence, 
ihe  is  again  taken  into  the  community  of  God. 

Bimeler  is  very  severe  in  his  treatment  of  the  official 
preachers,  “who  enter  the  pulpit  only  for  the  wages  and  for 
the  comfort  of  life  it  affords,  and  who  promote  the  hypocriti- 
cal worship  and  ceremonies,  and  he  reproves  them  for  with- 
holding intentionally  from  their  flocks  the  true  Gospel.”  He 
'boldly  stated  the  clergy  were  the  pensioners  of  the  state.  That 
Tthey  did  not  get  their  knowledge  from  God,  but  had  learned 
it  like  a trade  in  the  schools.  They  explained  the  letter  of  the 
text,  but  felt  not  its  spirit.  They  preached  for  compensation 
and  were  given  to  arrogance  and  hypocrisy. 

Bimeler’s  speeches  contain  lessons  on  morality,  temperance, 
-cleanliness,  health,  housekeeping,  etc.  As  Bimeler  possessed 
a certain  amount  of  medical  knowledge,  some  of  his  discourses 
even  describe  “the  inner  parts  of  the  human  body,”  in  order  to 
show  what  influence  the  immoderate  use  of  food  and  drink  may 
have  on  them.  Bimeler  is  very  liberal  towards  worldly 
science  and  does  full  justice  to  its  progress.  Besides,  it 
is  everywhere  noticeable  that  he,  unlike  most  of  his  col- 
leagues, was  an  educated,  well  read  and,  in  many  respects,  an 
unprejudiced  man.  He  possessed  not  only  great  talent,  but 
a vast  fund  of  knowledge. 

For  the  traditional  Christian  holidays,  he  did  not  have  much 
respect,  as  he  thought  one  day  as  sacred  as  another.  Sunday 
he  did  not  even  consider  a day  of  rest,  because,  as  he  remarked, 
the  crops  sown  on  that  day  did  just  as  well  as  those  sown  on 
any  other  day.  If  nature  makes  no  distinction  in  this  respect, 
it  was  not  necessary  for  man  to  do  so.  Time  should  always 
be  used  to  the  best  advantage.  The  Zoarites  worked  on 
:Sunday  when  occasion  required,  but  in  late  years  generally 
observed  the  day  as  one  of  rest.  In  spring  one  should  sow,  and 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society, 


19 


in  summer  assist  the  crops  so  that  the  "weeds  would  not  out- 
grow them.  In  fall,  the  crops  should  be  gathered,  and  winter 
should  be  used  to  prepare  for  the  spring  work.  The  lessons 
of  the  seasons  Bimeler  also  applied  to  the  spiritual  life  of  man. 
His  parallels  in  this  respect  are  distinguished  from  other  sim- 
ilar teachings  by  their  wealth  of  original  and  practical  thought. 

His  speeches,  however,  lack  logical  construction.  ‘The  most 
heterogeneous  subjects  are  often  thrown  together  higgledy-pig- 
gledy, which  is  especially  annoying,  because  there  is  no  connecting 
thread.  But  this  fault  may  be  chargeable  to  the  amanuensis  who 
certainly  was  not  a stenographer.”^® 

The  Separatists  of  Bimeler’s  school,  like  most  other  Separa- 
tists, were  inclined  to  chiliasm.^'^  In  course  of  time,  however,  they 
came  to  the  conclusion,  that  the  kingdom  of  God  would  not  come 
outwardly,  but  inwardly,  and  even  then  slowly  and  by  degrees. 
A state  of  grace  could  only  be  gradually  attained  by  sincere  re- 
pentance ; just  as  a person  could  not  exchange  his  sick  body  for  a 
sound  body  by  legerdemain.  A new  heaven  and  a new  earth  can 
be  created  only,  if  by  the  killing  of  the  old  Adam  we  ourselves 
become  new.  If  the  latter  is  not  done,  a new  heaven  or  earth  are 
of  no  use  to  us. 

But  Bimeler  does  not  put  all  the  blame  on  old  Adam,  for  he 
believes  that  all  men  have  a desire  to  taste  of  the  tree  of  knowl- 
edge. Adam  consequently  acted  simply  according  to  human  na- 
ture. He  was  just  like  men  nowadays  and  had  his  bad  and  good 
qualities,  the  same  as  they  are  found  in  all  other  products  of  na- 
ture, such  as  plants,  animals  and  minerals. 

Nor  does  Bimeler  think  much  of  foreign  missionary  work, 
because,  he  thinks,  it  is  much  more  important  for  a true  Christian 
to  do  this  missionary  work  at  home.  The  professional  mission- 
aries only  make  nominal  Christians  and  hypocrites,  who  may  be 
able  to  recite  the  confession  of  faith,  but  otherwise  know  as  little 
of  Christ’s  plan  of  salvation,  as  they  do  of  the  man  in  the  moon. 

In  regard  to  marriage,  which  is  always  a vexed  question  in 

Karl  Knortz. 

"The  doctrine  that  Christ  will  reign  on  earth  a thousand  years 
visibly  and  personally  before  the  end  of  the  world. 


20 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society. 


the  confession  of  faith  of  the  separatists,  Bimeler  does  not  always 
express  himself  as  clearly  and  distinctly  as  he  really  intends.  But 
this  much  is  sure,  he  did  not  consider  the  married  state  absolutely 
sinful,  as  he  himself  was  married  and  the  father  of  several  chil- 
dren. He  said  he  knew,  that  many  believed  him  opposed  to  mar- 
riage, but  added,  that  if  it  enhanced  the  happiness  of  people,  he 
had  nothing  against  it.  Moreover,  such  happiness  was  only  tem- 
porary and  ended  with  death.  But  he  wished  that  the  endeavor 
of  men  was  principally  directed  towards  acquisition  of  eternal  hap- 
piness. A chaste  life  is  therefore  preferable,  because  through 
marriage  sin  with  all  its  sad  consequences  is  perpetuated.  The 
married  state  could  only  in  very  rare  cases  be  called  sacred.^® 

Many  of  the  members  of  the  original  company  were  opposed 
to  the  institution  of  marriage  and  decided  to  make  celibacy  ob- 
ligatory in  the  society  as  had  Rapp  with  the  Harmonists.  Bimeler 
himself  at  first  supported  this  view  and  taught  that  God  did  not 
look  with  pleasure  on  marriage,  but  that  He  only  tolerated  it; 
that  in  the  future  world  there  would  be  no  marrying  or  giving  in 
marriage ; that  ^‘husband  and  wife  and  children  would  not  know 
each  other”  in  heaven  as  there  was  no  distinction  of  sex  there. 
For  the  first  ten  years  of  the  society  therefore  Bimeler  opposed 
marriage  and  it  was  prohibited  until  about  1828  or  1830,  when 
Bimeler  was  smitten  with  the  charms  of  one  of  the  comely  mai- 
dens who  was  an  inmate  of  his  household  and  whose  duty  it  was 
to  wait  upon  the  spiritual  and  temporal  head  of  the  Society.  They 
were  married  and  this  wedding  and  example  of  the  leader  led  to 
the  abrogation  of  the  anti-marriage  rule  and  the  previous  celibate 
practice  of  the  Society.  The  benedict  Bimeler,  consistent  with  his 
new  and  happy  state,  then  freely  advocated  marriage  as  shown  by 
his  discourses. 

With  regard  to  education,  Bimeler  says  many  things  that  de- 
serve notice.  As  a good  example  is  much  more  efficacious  than 
words,  he  exhorts  parents  to  lead  an  exemplary  life,  whereby  they 
can  influence  their  children  better  than  by  the  everlasting  admoni- 
tion to  pray  and  to  attend  prayer  meetings,  which  fills  them  only 
with  abhorence  for  the  Word  of  God.  Prayers  at  stated  hours 


Karl  Knortz. 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society. 


21 


do  not  at  all  promote  the  fear  of  God,  because,  if  one  is  not  in  the 
right  humor,  they  are  easily  regarded  as  a troublesome  function. 
Prayers. must  be  short.  Long  prayers  are  an  abomination.  Bi- 
meler  himself  did  not  pray,  at  least  not  outwardly,  but  inwardly, 
^hn  spirit  and  in  truth.’’  All  prayers  must  come  from  the  heart, 
free  and  unforced.  Therefore  prayer  books  are  not  only  unneces- 
sary but  injurious  to  the  true  Christian,  because  they  ‘‘promote 
babbling  with  the  mouth.”  Bimeler  sincerely  appreciated  the 
freedom,  which  obtained  in  American  school  and  educational  mat- 
ters, and  the  fact  that  there  was  no  attempt  made  to  prejudice 
the  young  mind  against  any  social  or  religious  tendencies.  The 
youth  are  permitted  to  attain  their  majority,  when  they  may  choose 
for  themselves.  This  is  entirely  in  harmony  with  the  divine  in- 
tention, according  to  which  men  are  created  free  and  which  does 
not  favor  any  creed  that  may  have  been  created,  parrot-like,  during 
infancy.  Bimeler  was  a decided  admirer  of  the  republican  prin- 
ciple of  government  and  he  demanded  what  was  perfectly  in  har- 
mony with  it,  the  subordination  of  the  individual  will  to  that  of 
the  whole,  as  otherwise  in  a community  like  Zoar  peace  and  har- 
mony might  be  easily  disturbed. 

As  all  strife  of  the  world  may  be  traced  back  to  selfishness, 
man  must  restrain  love  of  self  in  the  interest  of  all  which,  how- 
ever, few  will  try  and  fewer  still  achieve.  But  it  is  said,  “Love 
God  with  all  thy  heart  and  thy  neighbor  as  thyself,”  and  the  latter 
is  only  possible  through  restraint  of  self-love,  which,  therefore,  is 
a divine  commandment.  It  is  easy  to  love  God,  it  is  harder  to  love 
one’s  neighbor.  But  as  men  are  one  family  the  individual  has  no 
right  to  refuse  to  love  his  neighbor.  The  Separatists  therefore 
took  as  their  model  the  first  Christian  community  of  Jerusalem, 
where  all  were  one  heart  and  one  soul.  There  was  no  compulsion 
there.  But  as  soon  as  Christianity  adopted  compulsory  means  for 
its  preservation,  it  began  to  decay.  In  a communistic  colony  there 
are  neither  poor  nor  rich.  In  the  outer  world  there  is  wealth,  and 
poverty,  of  which  Bimeler  prefers  the  former,  because  in  its  proper 
application  it  may  conduce  to  much  happiness,  while  the  latter 
often  produces  many  sins  and  much  misery. 

Bimeler  nowhere  appears  as  a zealot  or  fanatic  and  with  the 
exception  of  the  clergymen,  whom  he  thoroughly  hates,  he  con- 


22 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society. 


demns  nobody,  because  we  only  see  the  acts  of  men,  but  not 
their  motives.  Nor  is  he  an  admirer  of  blind  superstition ; and 
wherever  there  is  a chance,  he  praises  the  advance  of  science,  be- 
cause it  improves  the  condition  of  everybody.  Every  new  inven- 
tion he  hails  with  sincere  joy.  He  always  speaks  like  a loving 
father  to  his  beloved  children.  He  never  acted  toward  his  people 
in  a tyrannical  manner  as  Father  Rapp  (of  the  Harmonists)  ; he 
exhorted  but  did  not  punish,  and  if  some  one  differed  with  him, 
Bimeler  did  not  for  that  reason  expel  him  from  the  community. 

Like  Father  Rapp,  Bimeler  had  declared  war  on  tobacco, 
without,  however,  entirely  prohibiting  its  use ; as  he  never  de- 
manded servile  obedience,  which  would  suppress  individual  views. 
Everybody  should  reflect  for  himself  on  all  questions  of  life  and 
form  his  own  independent  opinion.  Therefore  he  says : 

“We  must  be  glad,  that  God  has  led  us  out  of  our  former 
fatherland,  which  is  kept  so  much  under  pressure  and  servitude. 
We  should  rejoice  and  thank  God  with  all  our  heart,  that  He  has 
freed  us  from  that  servitude,  and  brought  us  hither,  where  we  can 
serve  our  God  without  hindrance  and  molestation,  according  to 
our  conviction  and  conscience.  You  know,  my  friends,  in  Ger- 
many they  did  not  allow  us  to  do  so,  and  therefore  we  had  no 
other  choice  but  leave  the  country  and  seek  a livelihood  somewhere 
else.  This  was  the  reason  why  we  came  to  America.  It  was  not 
selfishness,  nor  greed,  nor  avarice,  nor  desire  for  any  easy  life,  that 
caused  us  to  emigrate.  No,  no  such  base  motives  led  us  to  this 
step.  If  either  of  these  had  been  our  motives,  as  is  the  case  with 
thousands  of  emigrants,  we  would  not  be  so  peaceful  and  satisfied 
within  ourselves,  as  we  indeed  are,  because  we  know  that  our  mo- 
tives were,  as  above  mentioned,  a desire  of  a free  practice  of  our 
principles.  And  I do  not  believe,  my  friends,  that  we  should  have 
attained  our  aim,  if  we  had  been  guided  by  those  ignoble  in- 
tentions.’^ 

The  old  piety  which  was  cultivated  by  Bimeler  and  his  orig- 
inal followers  had  to  give  place  in  Zoar  to  ideas  more  adapted  ta 
the  present  world.  But  in  spite  of  all  that,  the  Separatists  of  the 
third  generation  until  recently  (as  stated  by  Herr  Knortz)  still 
sang  the  favorite  verses  of  the  old  Separatists,  one  of  whicH 
verses  was: 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society, 


2a 


lYearning  is  the  soul  in  me 
After  peace, 

That  my  troubles,  stilled  by  Thee, 

Soon  may  cease. 

Lead  me.  Father,  out  of  harm, 

To  the  quiet  Zoar  farm, 

If  it  be  Thy  will. 

LKGAI.  STATUS  OF  THE)  SOCIETY. 

'Much  Speculation  at  various  times  was  indulged  in  con- 
cerning the  legal  status  of  this  society;  its  character  as  an  or- 
ganization and  the  legal  relationship  of  its  members  to  the  So- 
ciety. In  several  instances  the  courts  were  called  upon  to  con- 
sider these  questions.  Members  who  were  deprived  of  sup- 
posed rights,  or  who  had  been  expelled,  at  different  periods 
in  the  history  of  the  society,  resorted  to  the  law  for  remedy.. 
Two  of  these  cases  became  famous  and  important  as  legal  pre- 
cedents. In  the  April  Term,  1851,  a suit  was  brought  by  John 
G.  Gosele  and  others  in  the  Seventh  Circuit  Court  of  the* 
United  States.^^ 

John  Gosele  was  one  of  the  original  Separatist  emigrants 
and  continued  as  a member  of  the  Zoar  community  until  his 
death  in  1827.  He  was  a subscriber  to  the  association  articles 
of  1819  and  1824,  but  died  before  its  incorporation.  His  heirs,. 
John  G.  Gosele  and  others,  brought  this  suit  for  a partition  o£ 
the  Zoar  property  and  the  restitution  to  them  of  their  ances- 
tor’s distributive  share.  This  raised  the  question  of  the  nature 
of  the  contract  entered  into  by  the  members  and  also  the  char- 
acter of  the  organization  under  our  laws.  Did  the  Society  con- 
stitute a joint  tenancy  or  a perpetuity  in  property,  both  of  which 
our  laws  forbid?  If  such  was  the /contract  it  should  be  de- 
clared null  and  void.  Or  was  the  scheme  some  legal  form  of 
a partnership,  and  if  so,  did  the  death  or  withdrawal  of  a mem- 
ber destroy  this  partnership,  and  compel  or  permit  the  distri- 
bution of  the  co-partnership  property.  And  how  did  the  laws 
governing  real  estate  descent  apply  to  the  lands  of  the  com- 
munity? 


*®John  G.  Goesele  et  al.  vs.  Joseph  M.  Bimeler  et  al.,  5 McLean.1 
'Reports,  223. 


24 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society. 


^‘The  rights  of  the  plaintiffs  in  this  suit  rested  upon  the 
contracts  before  the  incorporation  of  1832.  They  claimed:  i, 
that  there  was  no  grantee  (of  the  lands) ; 2,  that  if  there  were 
a grantee,  the  grant  would  be  void  as  a perpetuity.  To  this 
the  court,  in  its  opinion,  replied  that  the  lands  were  purchased 
by  Bimeler  for  the  Society,  were  paid  for  by  it,  and  were  held 
in  trust  by  him;  the  fee  was  in  him  and  the  members  of  the 
Society  were  the  cestui  que  trusts.  It  was  admitted  that  an  un- 
incorporated community  could  not,  in  its  aggregate  capacity, 
take  lands  in  grant,  nor  could  its  directors  and  their  succes- 
sors in  office  take  them,  as  the  law,  under  the  circumstances, 
recognizes  no  succession.  A valid  grant  to  such  a community 
would  only  be  made  to  the  individuals  composing  it,  or  to  an 
individual  and  his  heirs,  in  trust  for  its  use.  The  articles  of 
association  constituted  a declaration  of  trust,  which  Bimeler, 
the  trustee,  recognized  as  binding  upon  him.  This  declara- 
tion did  not  require  the  formalities  of  a grant;  it  was  in  writ- 
ing and  the  applicadon  of  the  trust  being  distinctly  stated,  it 
was  not  affected  by  the  statute  of  frauds  and  perjuries.  The 
members  of  the  Society  agree  with  each  other  that  their  prop- 
erty of  every  description  should  be  held  and  used  as  a com- 
mon fund  for  their  general  benefit  and  they  appointed  certain 
agents  to  manage  their  concerns  and  provide  for  their  sup- 
port. It  is  true,  they  relinquished  to  the  Society  their  entire 
property,  but  it  was  done  that,  as  a community,  they  might 
enjoy  the  benefits  of  the  whole.  The  aggression  which  they 
established  relieved  the  members  generally  from  personal  care, 
but  the  sum  of  their  enjoyment  was  not  lessened.  The  want 
of  capacity  in  the  Society,  as  deeds  to  take  by  grant,  does  not 
invalidate  this  procedure.  The  agreement  was  that  the  equit- 
able individual  right  to  the  trust  should  be  relinquished  for  a 
common  right  with  the  other  members,  to  the  entire  property. 
In  effect,  it  was  constituting  a universal  partnership,  known 
to  the  common  law  and  which  is  not  in  violation  of  any  of 
its  principles,  the  name  of  the  Society  was  used  as  a designa- 
tion of  the  whole  body,  the  same  as  the  assumed  name  of  a 
firm  to  designate  its  partners.  Individuality  of  membership  of 
the  property  then  possessed  by  the  members  of  the  association 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society. 


25 


was  abolished,  and  also  future  acquisitions  for  the  common  right 
of  an  interest  in  the  whole.  This  common  right  was  limited 
to  the  members  of  the  association ; consequently  those  who  left 
it,  or  were  expelled,  forfeited  such  right.  * ♦ * * gy  this 

arrangement,  the  members  of  the  association  were  placed  on  an 
equality  as  to  their  interests  in  the  property  and  their  enjoy- 
ment of  it.  Their  minutest  wants  were  alike  provided  for, 
through  the  agency  established;  and  this  was  the  consideration 
on  which  the  contract  was  founded.  That,  in  the  absence  of 
all  fraud  and  unfairness,  this  was  a bona  fide  and  legal  con- 
tract, cannot  be  doubted.  An  important  part  of  this  contract 
was  that  the  property  thus  surrendered  should  belong  only 
to  the  members  of  the  association ; consequently  the  heirs  of  the 
members  could  not  claim  an  interest  in  the  property  as  heirs, 
but  only  as  members.  Against  such  a disposition  of  property, 
I know  of  no  principle  of  law  or  morals.  Any  individual  has 
the  power  to  divest  himself  of  his  property,  real  and  personal, 
for  a valuable  consideration. 

“Gosele  and  the  other  members,  when  they  relinquished 
their  individual  property  for  a common  interest  in  the  whole, 
and  appointed  agents  to  manage  the  concern,  expressly  agreed 
to  receive  as  a consideration  for  their  property  and  labor  a 
support  for  themselves  and  their  families,  including  clothing 
and  every  other  provision  necessary  for  their  comfort. 
* * * * It  was  a partnership  agreement  among  themselves, 

and  was  binding  upon  each  individual  who  entered  into  it. 

‘Tf  there  be  no  principle  of  law  opposed  to  such  a com- 
munity of  property,  it  must  be  held  valid  on  the  rules  which 
apply  to  partnerships.  There  was  no  moral  considerations  op- 
posed to  it.  In  adopting  it,  the  Separatists  Society  followed 
the  example  found  in  the  early  history  of  the  Apostles,  and 
which  received  a lawful  sanction  of  heaven. 

“But  it  is  said  that  this  association  contemplates  an  enjoy- 
ment of  the  property  in  perpetuity;  that  those  who  shall  be- 
come members  of  it,  through  all  time  shall  enjoy  it,  and  that 
this  the  law  will  not  permit.  « * ♦ * It  rnust  be  observed 
that  title  (to  the  land)  vested  in  the  trustees  from  the  date 
of  the  deed;  and  the  common  use,  in  the  society,  as  fully  when 


26 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society. 


the  articles  were  agreed  to,  as  was  contemplated  at  any  future 
period.  It  is  true  that  the  association  could  only  be  perpet- 
uated by  the  admission  of  new  members.  But  such  admission  is 
not  obligatory  on  the  Society.  An  applicant  to  become  a member 
must  first  apply  to  the  directors,  who  bring  his  case  before 
the  board  of  arbitration,  and  pass  their  examination.  If  ad- 
mitted, it  must  be  on  the  condition  that  he  shall  relinquish 
his  individual  property  to  the  members  of  the  association, 
and  with  them  enjoy  a common  benefit  in  the  whole.  This 
is  a matter  of  contract  at  the  time,  as  it  was  at  the  formation 
of  the  society.  The  perpetuity  then,  is  not  created  by  the  first 
contract,  but  depends  upon  subsequent  contracts,  which  may 
or  may  not  be  entered  into.  No  right  is  derived  or  can  be 
claimed  under  the  articles  of  association  until  the  individual 
shall  have  complied  with  the  conditions  of  his  admission.  He 
then  becomes  a partner  in  the  association,  and  is  subject  to  the 
original  articles,  not  from  any  instrinsic  force  in  them,  but 
because  he  has  adopted  them  by  contract.  Here  is  the  origin 
of  his  right,  and  of  his  obligation,  and  the  question  may  well 
be  asked,  is  this  a perpetuity?  If  it  be  a perpetuity,  it  is  a 
perpetuity  that  can  extend  beyond  lives  in  being,  only  by  vol- 
untary contracts.  * * * * This  association,  in  principle, 

does  not  differ  from  any  other  partnership,  where  the  mem- 
bers create  the  capital  by  giving  up  their  property  to  the  con- 
cern, living  upon  their  profits,  applying  their  surplus  to  an  in- 
crease of  capital,  and  receiving  new  members  on  the  terms  of 
the  original  association.  This,  if  carried  out,  may  endure  for 
many  generations,  but  it  is  not  a perpetuity,  which  the  law 
prohibits.  The  enjoyment  of  the  right,  on  condition  of  con- 
tinued membership,  has  no  necessary  connection  with  a perpe- 
tuity. If  the  condition  be  broken  by  a member,  it  depends 
upon  the  individuals  and  the  Society  whether  he  shall  be  re- 
stored or  not.  * ♦ * * For  the^  reasons  stated,  I think 

the  agreement  entered  into  by  the  members  giving  up  their  in- 
dividual interest  in  the  property  for  a common  interest  in  the 
whole  of  it,  so  long  as  they  shall  remain  members,  is  not  void 
in  law.” 

The  federal  circuit  court  decided  the  case  for  the  Society 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society. 


27 


and  against  the  contestants.  They  appealed  the  case  to  the 
United  States  Supreme  Court,  when  it  was  tried  in  the  De- 
cember term,  1852,  Roger  B.  Taney  being  then  Chief  Justice. 
The  interests  of  the  Society  were  defended  by  no  less  distin- 
guished advocates  than  Henry  M.  Stanberry  and  Thomas  Ew- 
ing. Mr.  Stanberry,  in  a very  learned  brief,  argued  that  the 
association  was  not  a simple  pure  partnership,  liable  to  the 
incidents  of  such  and  subject  to  the  operation  of  all  the  or- 
dinary causes  of  dissolution — viz:  that  it  might  be  dissolved  by 
the  first  death  which  happened  among  its  members,  and  was 
capable  of  dissolution  and  partition  of  its  real  estate,  at  any 
time  at  the  instance  of  any  member.  “The  original  agree- 
ment provides,”  he  said,  “for  a perfect  community  of  property, 
real  and  personal,  and  for  a succession  or  survivorship  among 
members  on  the  Tontine  principle.  It  guards  with  great  care 
against  the  dissolution  of  the  body.  * * « This  was  not 

a mere  partnership,  nor  the  members  tenants  in  common.  The 
agreement  for  community  of  property,  the  mutual  surrender 
of  all  individual  property  into  the  common  stock  and  the  ex- 
press stipulation  against  any  reclamation  in  the  case  of  with- 
drawal, and  for  the  preservation  of  the  common  property,  for 
the  exclusive  use  and  perpetual  enjoyment  of  the  members,  in 
succession,  are  inconsistent  with  the  incidents  of  mere  part- 
nership or  tenancy  in  common. 

“But,  is  is  said,^'there  are  legal  difficulties  which  the  agree- 
ment of  the  parties  cannot  surmount.  That  upon  the  death  of 
a member,  the  Society  was  dissolved  ex  necessitate.  This  con- 
sequence, though  generally  true  as  to  partnerships,  does  not 
follow  where  the  agreement  provides  against  it.  It  is  not  an 
inevitable  consequence.  The  doctrine  of  dissolution  upon  the 
death  of  a partner,  only  obtains  where  the  deceased  partner  has 
a continuing  interest  in  the  property  or  profits  of  the  associa- 
tion. It  is  not  just  that  the  surviving  partners  should  be  obliged 
to  carry  on  the  business,  without  his  co-operation,  for  the  bene- 
fit of  his  estate. 

“I  have  said  this  Society  was  not  an  ordinary  partnership. 
It  very  closely  resembles  that  sort  of  partnership  in  the  civil 
law  which  is  called  universal.  “Universal  partnerships  {des  so- 


28 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society. 


cieties  universelles)  are  contract  by  which  the  parties  agree  to 
make  a common  stock  of  all  property  they  respectively  pos- 
sess— they  may  extend  it  to  all  property,  real  or  personal,  or 
restrict  it  to  the  personal  only.  They  may,  as  in  other  part- 
nerships, agree  that  the  property  itself  shall  be  common  stock, 
or  that  the  fruits  only  shall  be  such ; but  property  which  may 
accrue  to  one  of  the  parties,  after  entering  into  the  partner- 
ship, by  donation,  succession,  or  legacy,  does  not  become  com- 
mon stock,  and  any  stipulation  to  that  effect,  previous  to  the 
obtaining  of  the  property  aforesaid,  is  void.’ 

“ ‘An  universal  partnership  of  profits  includes  all  the  gains 
that  may  be  made,  from  whatever  source,  whether  from  prop- 
erty or  industry,  with  the  restriction  contained  in  the  last  ar- 
ticle, and  subject  to  all  legal  stipulations  between  the  parties.’ 
* * * This  association  is  a general  partnership,  with  the 

principle  of  survivorship  ingrafted  upon  it.  In  this  particu- 
lar it  takes  the  character  of  a Tontine,  which  is  a society  with 
the  benefit  of  survivorship,  the  longest  liver  taking  the  com- 
mon property  in  absolute  ownership.  * * * * i can  see 

no  objection  to  this  provision  as  to  ownership.  Certainly  as 
to  personalty  there  can  be  no  difficulty ; but  it  is  said,  in  so  far 
as  the  real  property  of  the  company  is  concerned,  there  can  be 
no  joint  tenancy,  no  right  of  survivorship,  in  Ohio;  and  that 
upon  a death  of  a member,  his  interest  in  the  real  estate  passes 
to  his  heirs  at  law,  and  that  at  any  time  the  right  to  parti- 
tion might  be  asserted.  * ♦ * ♦ There  is,  then,  no  ob- 

jection to  survivorship  by  express  limitation  or  agreement. 
This  being  so,  there  has  been  no  descent  of  any  heirs  of  the 
deceased  members  of  the  society,  and  there  is  no  present  right 
of  partition  in  any  of  the  living  members. 

“Objection  is  also  made  to  this  association,  that  the  prin- 
ciple of  community  and  succession  of  property  among  the  mem- 
bers, involves  a perpetuity.  There  is  nothing  like  a perpetuity 
in  it.  The  society  has  the  perfect  right  of  disposal  over  all  its 
property,  real  as  well  as  personal,  and  this  power  of  disposal 
is  wholly  inconsistent  with  the  idea  of  perpetuity,  which  only 
exists  where  the  property  is  so  limited  that  no  living  agencyj 
can  unfetter  it. 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society. 


29 


"‘It  is  further  urged  that  this  Society  is  contrary  to  the 
genius  of  our  free  institutions — that  its  constitution  enforces 
perpetual  service  and  adherence  to  a particular  faith,  and  that 
it  is  aristocratic  in  its  tendency. 

‘"If  there  were  anything  in  such  objections,  the  constitu- 
tion answers  them  all.  So  far  from  being  at  all  aristocratic, 
this  Society  is  a pure  democracy.  All  the  officers  are  chosen 
by  ballot,  every  member,  male  and  female,  have  an  equal  voice ; 
and  the  body  of  the  Society  reserves  to  itself  the  power  of 
removing  officers  and  changing  the  form  of  government  at 
pleasure.  All  distinctions  of  rank  or  wealth  are  abolished,  and 
a perfect  equality  provided  for.  No  single  dogma  in  religion 
or  politics  is  announced,  no  unusual  restraint  on  marriage,  nor 
subserviency  to  any  doctrine  out  of  the  common  way,  exist; 
and  so  far  from  any  enforcement  of  perpetual  service  being 
provided  for,  the  right  is  reserved  for  every  member  to  retire 
from  the  society  at  pleasure,  with  the  single  condition  that  no 
claim  is  to  be  set  up  for  services  or  property  contributed.  The 
powers  which  the  Society  confides  to  its  officers  are  temporary, 
and  so  distributed  as  to  prevent  any  one  member  or  officer 
from  engrossing  too  much  power. 

“Besides  this  liberal  frame  of  government,  the  constitution, 
by  very  full  enactments,  provides  for  the  education  of  the  chil- 
dren, the  comfort  and  support  of  all  the  members,  and  the 
peaceable  settlement  of  all  controversies  by  domestic  tribunals. 
It  is  impossible  to  hold  that  such  a constitution  is  contrary  to 
public  policy,  or  in  any  sense  illegal.  To  say  that  such  a so- 
ciety cannot  exist  under  our  form  of  government  is  a libel  on 
our  free  institutions. 

“This  is  not  a perpetuity  in  the  common  law  sense  of  the  term, 
it  does  not  tie  up  real  estate,  for  it  may  be  disposed  of  at  any  time. 
Such  a limitation  of  the  real  estate,  or  its  proceeds,  would  be  good, 
by  the  laws  of  Ohio,  for  the  lives  in  being;  and  each  tenant  for 
life,  by  his  own  signature,  if  the  full  estate  at  any  time  vested  in 
him  or  them,  could  equally  well  transmit  it  to  another  life,  and  so 
in  succession,  a majority  being  at  all  times  able  to  terminate  the 
succession  at  pleasure.” 

Justice  McLean  delivered  the  opinion  of  the  court  in  which 


30 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society, 


he  said  that  "according  to  the  plan  of  the  Zoar  articles  that  Gosele 
renounced  individual  ownership  of  the  property  and  an  agreement 
was  made  to  labor  for  the  community  in  common  with  others,  for 
their  comfortable  maintenance.  All  individual  right  of  property 
became  merged  in  the  general  right  of  the  association.  He  had 
no  individual  right  and  could  transmit  none  to  his  heirs.  It  is 
strange  that  the  complainants  should  ask  a partition  through  their 
ancestor,  when  by  the  terms  of  his  contract,  he  could  have  no 
divisible  interest.  They  who  now  enjoy  the  property  enjoy  it 
under  his  express  contract.  * * * * This  was  a benevolent 
scheme  and  from  its  character  might  properly  be  denominated  a 
charity.  But  from  the  nature  of  the  association  and  the  objects 
to  be  obtained,  it  is  clear  the  individual  members  could  have  no 
rights  to  the  property  except  its  use,  under  the  restrictions  im- 
posed by  the  articles.  The  whole  policy  of  the  association  was 
founded  on  a principle  which  excluded  individual  ownership. 
Such  an  ownership  would  defeat  the  great  object  in  view,  by  nec- 
essarily giving  to  the  association  a temporary  character.  If  the 
interests  of  its  members  could  be  transferred,  or  pass  by  descent, 
the  maintenance  of  the  community  would  be  impossible.  In  the 
natural  course  of  things  the  ownership  of  the  property  in  a few 
years,  by  transfer  and  descent,  would  pass  out  of  the  community 
into  the  hands  of  strangers,  and  thereby  defeat  the  object  in  view. 
By  disclaiming  all  individual  ownership  of  the  property  acquired 
by  their  labor,  for  the  benefits  secured  by  the  articles,  the  members 
give  durability  to  the  fund  accumulated,  and  to  the  benevolent 
purposes  to  which  it  is  applied.  No  legal  objection  is  perceived 
to  such  a partnership.  If  members  separate  themselves  from  the 
Society  their  interest  in  the  property  ceases,  and  new  members 
that  may  be  admitted,  under  the  articles,  enjoy  the  advantages 
common  to  all.” 

A subsequent  suit^®  was  begun  in  the  common  pleas  court  of 
Tuscarawas  county,  carried  through  the  circuit  court  and  finally 
decided  in  the  Ohio  supreme  court  in  the  December  term,  1862. 
That  case  was  brought  by  John  Gasely  and  his  wife  Anna  Maria 
Gasely.  Anna  Maria,  with  her  father,  was  one  of  the  emigrants 

" Gaselys  et  al.  vs.  Separatists'  Society  of  Zoar  et  al.,  13  Ohio 
State,  144. 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society. 


31 


of  1817,  John  Gasely  was  also  a member.  They  were  married  in 
1830  and  signed  the  articles  in  1833.  ^^45  John  Gasely  was 

expelled  from  the  Society,  ‘Tor  just  and  sufficient  cause,”  it  is 
claimed,  and  his  wife,  Anna  Maria,  “was  compelled  to  leave  also 
or  abandon  him  and  their  children,  which  she  was  unwilling  to 
do.”  The  petition  of  the  Gasely^s  was  for  their  distributive  share 
of  the  Zoar  property.  In  this  case  also  the  Supreme  Court  of 
Ohio  sustained  the  contract  upon  which  the  community  was 
based. 

PRACTICAI^  WORKINGS  OF  THE  SOCIETY. 

The  location  of  the  settlement  of  Zoar  was  well  chosen  on  the 
east  bank  of  the  Tuscarawas  river,  in  the  northern  part  of  the 
county  (Tuscarawas)  where  the  stream  flows  through  a valley 
fertile  in  soil  and  rich  in  scenery.  The  Ohio  and  Erie  canaP^ 
passes  near  by  and  the  town  is  a station  on  the  Wheeling  & Lake 
Erie  Railroad.  Alighting  from  the  train  one  seems  to  have  left 
the  modern  American  civilization  and  to  have  suddenly  dropped 
into  a little  German  village  that  dates  its  origin  to  a century  or 
more  ago.  One  of  the  county  highways  passes  through  it  and 
forms  its  principal  thoroughfare  called  Main  street,  and  the  only 
one  having  a name  — and  running  almost  due  north  and  south. 
The  village  consists  of  not  more  than  seventy-five  buildings  — of 
various  shapes  and  sizes  — and  scattered  irregularly  upon  eight 
or  nine  streets,  two  of  which  on  either  side  are  parallel  to  Main, 
the  other  four  crossing  these  at  right  angles  and  extending  east 
and  west.  Excepting  Main,  the  streets  are  narrow  and  unim- 
proved, there  being  no  curbs  or  gutters,  and  on  the  side  streets  no 
distinctive  walks  unless  created  by  packed  ashes  or  gravel,  making 
a footway  slightly  raised  above  the  level  of  the  road.  There  was 
no  system  of  sewage  or  drainage  — though  water  was  brought 
into  the  village  by  piping  from  a spring  on  the  hill  north  of  the 
urban  limits ; water  was  thus  conveyed  to  one  or  two  public  drink- 
ing troughs,  but  it  was  generally  not  carried  into  the  houses. 
Zoar  seemed  to  studiously  avoid  modern  conveniences.  Particu- 
larly did  it  shun  light;  at  some  of  the  street  corners  a wooden 

“ The  Ohio  and  Erie  Canal  was  built  1825-1833  and  extends  from 
Portsmouth  to  Cleveland. 


32 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society. 


lamp  post  stood  like  a lonely  and  almost  useless  sentry,  as  the  ap- 
paratus for  illumination  was  either  wanting  or  impaired.  But 
there  would  seem  to  be  little  or  no  need  of  village  lights  as  the 
good  people  had  rare  occasion  to  “go  out  o’  nights.”  The  streets, 
however,  were  cleanly ; the  village  for  the  most  part  had  a trim 
and  swept  appearance,  characteristic  of  the  German  habit.  The 
garbage  of  the  dwellings  was  gathered  each  day  in  a wagon  and 
carried  off.  The  home  interiors  were  scrupulously  scrubbed  and 
dusted.  The  total  population  did  not  exceed  300  including  the 
Zoarites  proper  and  the  employed  help.  The  natives  lived  in  some 
forty  dwellings  — a fewer  number  than  usually  obtains  in  a settle- 
ment of  an  equal  number  of  inhabitants.  Many  of  the  domiciles 
were  double  and  accommodated  two  or  possibly  three  families. 
The  otherVbuildings  were  for  public  or  common  purposes,  — fac- 
tories, barns,  store-houses,  hotel,  town  hall,  church,  schoolhouse,  . 
etc.  The  living  houses  were  of  various  ages  and  styles  — an- 
tiquity prevailing.  Some  of  the  log  cabins  still  stood  in  part — 
if  not  entire  — mementoes  of  the  pioneer  life  of  the  Society.  The 
later  frame  structures  were  a story,  a story  and  a half,  in  a few 
instances,  two  stories  high.  There  were  a few  old  time  red  bricks 
with  heavy  beam  lintels.  These  homes  though  indicating  the 
strictest  economy  in  construction  and  form  were  comfortable ; the 
rooms  were  usually  large,  square  and  low,  the  windows  often 
placed  high  up  and  small ; the  chimnies  were  often  those  of  “ye 
olden  tyme.”  There  were  no  cellars  and  no  garrets.  The  floors 
were  mostly  bare  or  partially  and  cheaply  carpeted.  The  furni- 
ture was  simple,  sparse,  heavy  and  time-honored.  Pictures  and 
ornaments  were  few  and  far  between.  A rigid  plainness  existed 
throughout  these  humble  homes,  nor  was  there  any  variation  de- 
noting different  degrees  of  comfort  or  means  as  one  sees  in  every 
other  village.  There  was  an  undeviating  sameness  in  the  mode 
of  living. 

The  houses  stood  close  to  the  street,  upon  which  the  steps 
often  projected,  but  in  nearly  every  instance  an  extent  of  yard 
surrounded  the  house  on  the  sides  and  rear.  These  yards  were 
invariably  utilized  as  vegetable  and  flower  gardens.  Each  family 
mainly  raised  its  own  vegetables  though  the  more  common  ones 
were  supplied  by  the  Society.  Flowers  in  great  profusion  was 


OLD  AND  NP:\V  HOTEL. 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society. 


33 


the  one  and  almost  the  only  aesthetic  feature  of  Zoar  domesticity. 
But  the  flowers  were  mostly  the  old  fashioned  sort.  ‘^Roses  red 
and  Violets  blue,  and  the  sweetest  flowers  that  in  the  forest  grew.^’ 
In  some  cases  the  homely  walls  of  the  antique  homes  and  the  lat- 
tice of  the  open  porches  which  many  had,  were  decorated  with 
climbing  foliage  and  creeping  flowers.  Their  devotion  to  flori- 
culture was  evidenced  by  public  recognition,  in  the  maintenance  of 
a flower  garden  or  park  situated  in  the  center  of  the  village,  facing 
on  the  main  street  and  occupying  a full  square,  an  acre  or  more 
of  ground.  In  the  midst  of  this  space  was  an  arbor  uniquely  de- 
vised by  spruce  trees  so  planted  and  trimmed  as  to  form  a tree 
cabin,  in  which  were  wooden  seats  — offering  a most  suitable 
trysting  place  for  the  Zoar  Romeos  and  Juliets.  From  this  bower, 
so  curiously  combining  art  and  nature  there  radiated,  like  spokes 
from  a hub  a series  of  narrow  walks  flanked  with  beds  of  blossoms 
and  rows  of  small  shrubbery.  This  garden  was  the  special  pride 
and  pleasure  of  the  villagers  and  from  time  memorial  has  been 
cared  for  by  some  member  especially  delegated  as  the  gardener. 
It  has  been  the  admiration  of  all  visitors  and  the  subject  for  many 
an  artist. 

The  other  picturesque  characteristic  of  the  village  were  the 
old,  red,  heavy,  trough-shaped,  tile  roofs  that  covered  many  of 
the  buildings.  At  one  time  the  manufacture  of  these  tiles  was  an 
industry  of  the  Society,  but  long  since  the  market  for  these  obso- 
lete goods  ceased. 

Near  the  garden,  lofty  stone  steps  ascending  to  the  entrance, 
was  the  conspicuous  dwelling  of  the  village  — the  former  resi- 
dence of  the  leader,  Joseph  Bimeler.  This  edifice,  often  desig- 
nated by  the  visitors  as  “the  palace,’*  was  a spacious  basement  and 
two  and  a half  story,  cupola  surmounted,  red  brick  mansion;  a 
two  story,  colonial  columned  portico  extended  the  full  width  of 
the  front.  It  was  erected  in  1835,  a few  years  after  the  marriage  of 
the  founder  of  the  Society  — in  those  days  a most  costly  and 
pretentious  establishment  and  certainly  not  only  far  beyond  any- 
thing in  its  locality,  but  quite  equal  to  the  best  western  manorial 
homes  of  its  age  and  generation.  This  semi-official  residence  was 
given  a somewhat  villa  like  appearance  by  the  ample  grounds  on 
3 


34 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society, 


either  side,  in  which  flowers  and  small  fruit  flourished  in  great 
profusion.  The  interior  arrangement  was  in  accord  with  the 
striking  exterior  architecture.  Here  Bimeler  lived  until  his  death 
in  1853.  Bimeler  taught  equality  of  life  and  in  his  discourses 
played  the  part  of  a ^'great  commoner,”  but  this  comparatively 
aristocratic  abode  — so  far  in  excess  of  anything  any  of  his  asso- 
ciates occupied  — rather  suggests  the  suspicion  that  the  disciple  of 
democratic  commonality  was  not  averse,  even  at  the  expense  of  the 
community,  to  enjoying  some  exclusive  luxuries.  At  times,  how- 
ever, this  conduced  to  criticism  and  even  open  charges,  particularly 
from  those  who  withdrew  or  were  driven  from  the  Society.  It 
was  claimed  by  the  Gosele  contestants  that  Bimeler  was  making  a 
good  thing  out  of  his  prominent  position  and  that  the  Agent-Gen- 
eral traveled  about  in  “a  gay  and  brilliant  equipage  that  flashed 
and  spun,”  consisting  of  a fine  carriage  and  span  of  speeders. 
This  imputation  was  not  sustained  and  it  was  proven  in  the  trial 
that  the  carriage  was  a very  ordinary  one,  “worth  only  about  three 
hundred  dollars,”  that  one  of  the  horses  cost  about  twenty  dollars 
and  the  other  thirty  or  forty  dollars.  It  was  unmistakeable  how- 
ever that  Bimeler  did  ride  about  with  his  wife  — while  his  equals 
footed  it.  But  it  is  also  true  in  extenuation  of  this  privilege — un- 
enjoyed by  other  Zoarites — that  he  was  permanently  lamed  by  a 
broken  leg,  his  carriage  conveyance  being  necessary.  But  beyond 
doubt  Bimeler  seasoned  his  plain  thinking  and  simple  teaching 
with  no  slight  flavor  of  high  living,  but  that  seems  to  have  been 
willingly  and  cheerfully  allowed  by  his  contemporary  people.  Un- 
disputed tradition  and  the  universal  testimony  of  the  aged  mem- 
bers, still  living,  who  remember  Bimeler,  deprecate  any  aspersion 
upon  the  character,  morality,  honesty  or  sincerity  of  precept  or 
practice  of  their  founder  and  acknowledged  superior.  Witb^ust 
cause  they  all  respect  and  honor  his  memory  as  an  able,  just  and 
true  man  — devoted  to  the  welfare  of  his  fellow-members.  This 
official  residence  for  the  past  few  years  has  been  used  in  part  as 
living  quarters  for  some  of  the  families  and  in  part  as  the  store- 
house or  repository  for  the  goods  to  be  distributed  to  the  members, 
groceries,  clothing  and  living  necessities.  To  this  building  on 
(two)  designated  days  of  the  week  the  villagers  would  go  to 
procure  their  supplies  — each  family  being  allowed  ample  quantity 


History  of  ike  Zoar  Society. 


35 


of  the  articles  supplied,  both  food  and  such  things  as  were  fur- 
nished for  the  housekeeping.  No  account  or  reckoning  of  this 
distribution  was  kept  by  the  society  — or  its  officers  — with  any 
individual  member.  This  at  first  always  surprises  the  thoughtful 
visitor  and  appears  to  be  a gross  laxity  of  business  procedure,  but 
there  was  no  need  of  “bookkeeping;”  there  could  be  no  charge 
against,  or  credit  to  a member  and  hence  no  balance  to  be  struck. 
What  was  the  property  of  one  was  the  property  of  all.  The  trus- 
tees allotted  the  proper  portion  to  each  individual  or  family.  Each 
person  was  permitted  two  suits  of  clothes  a year.  The  material 
would  be  submitted  in  a limited  variety  and  quality ; each  would 
select  the  cloth  and  the  tailors  made  the  men’s  suits  and  the  seam- 
stresses the  women’s  dresses.  Often  the  women  made  their 
own  dresses  and  knit  their  own  stockings  and  those  for  the  men. 
In  former  years  the  attire  of  the  Zoarites  was  nearly  uniform^ 
being  very  simple  and  eccentric  in  style,  somewhat  after  the 
fashion  of  the  Quakers.  But  now-a-days  their  apparel  is  much 
the  same  as  one  might  see  in  any  American  village.  They  are 
neat  in  appearance  and  their  clothes  are  kept  in  better  order 
and  repair  than  is  usually  the  case.  The  women  wore  the  homely 
sun  bonnet.  Luxuries,  such  as  jewelry  and  ornamental  articles 
of  dress  were,  of  course,  unsupplied  and  unworn.  Each  man 
was  however  entitled  to  a plain,  silver  watch  and  watch  and 
clock  repairing  was  one  of  the  assigned  occupations. 

Until  recent  years  the  material  for  their  clothing  was  almost 
entirely  made  by  the  Society.  They  raised  their  own  flax  and 
wool  and  in  their  mills  wove  both  woolen  and  linen  cloths ; this 
was  done  to  the  extent  of  selling  these  goods  in  large  quantities  to 
outsiders.  These  factories  were  both  closed  at  the  date  of  my  visit. 
For  some  time  they  had  ceased  to  export  their  fabrics,  but  on  the 
contrary  had  purchased  the  material,  at  least  in  part,  for  their  own 
clothing.  The  Society  could  buy  cloth  cheaper  than  it  could 
make  it.  Indeed  this  was  true  of  nearly  all  their  industries  which 
formerly  were  numerous  and  flourishing  and  not  only  produced 
all  necessary  commodities  for  their  comfortable  existence,  but  also 
afforded  large  and  profitable  commerce  with  the  outside  world. 
Their  location  upon  the  Tuscarawas  river  gave  them  a valuable 
and  unfailing  water  power  and  they  had  two  large  flour  mills,  a 


36 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society. 


saw  mill,  planing  mill,  machine  shop,  tannery,  dye  house,  stove 
foundry,  cooper  shop,  woolen  mill,  brewery,  slaughter  house, 
blacksmith  shop,  tile  works,  pottery,  etc.  In  all  these  concerns 
when  in  successful  operation  the  best  of  goods  were  produced 
both  as  to  quality  of  material  and  honesty  of  manufacture,  and 
their  goods  were  eagerly  sought  by  foreign  customers.  But  dur- 
ing the  present  generation  these  enterprises  have  declined  and 
ceased  to  be  profitable  — the  age  of  invention  and  improvement  in 
machinery,  the  multiplicity  of  outside  manufactures  and  the  fierce 
contest  of  competition  had  undermined  and  crushed  many  of  their 
manufacturing  interests.  The  Zoarites  are  not  a progressive  peo- 
ple; they  do  not  keep  pace  in  their  business  methods  with  the 
times — the  changes  in  appliance  and  the  modes  of  conducting 
commercial  affairs  became  too  rapid  for  their  adoption,  and  from 
being  producers  they  have  become  consumers,  relying  mostly 
upon  the  outer  world  to  supply  their  needs. 

Up  to  a few  years  ago  they  obtained  the  hides  from  their  cat- 
tle and  made  their  leather  for  their  shoes;  that  was  long  since 
abandoned,  as  they  could  buy  leather  for  less  than  the  cost  of 
making ; and  their  chief  shoemaker  informed  them  that  they  were 
foolish  to  continue  making  their  shoes,  as  they  could  obtain  them 
ready  made  better  and  cheaper.  But  he  added,  “We  have  not 
the  money  to  buy  all  them  things,  so  we  keep  on  making  our 
clothes  and  shoes.”  Formerly  it  was  the  rule  that  the  mem- 
bers get  an  order  from  the  trustees  on  the  shoemaker  for  their 
shoes.  Latterly  this  has  not  been  required.  One  needing  “foot 
gear”  simply  resorted  to  the  shoe  shop,  had  his  measure  taken 
and  patiently  bided  the  time  of  the  leisurely  cobbler.  For  many 
years  in  the  past  the  Zoar  shoe  shop  did  a thriving  business 
with  the  outside  countrymen.  But  now  the  shrewd  farmers 
buy  the  machine  made  article,  elsewhere,  for  less  money. 

The  stove  foundry  long  ago  closed  up — the  stoves  cast 
were  grotesquely  large  and  cumbersome.  When  the  sale  for 
the  original  pattern  ceased  they  attempted  to  make  no  others. 
The  stoves  outside  might  g^ow  light  and  graceful  and  econo- 
mical in  the  consumption  of  fuel,  but  the  Zoar  heaters  remained 
large,  heavy  and  homely  as  ever. 

The  machine  shop,  planing  and  saw  mill  were  all  in  op- 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society, 


37 


eration,  as  was  the  larger  flouring  mill,  the  latter  under  the 
management  of  Peter  Bimeler,  a direct  descendant  in  the  third 
generation  from  the  noted  Joseph.  This  mill  is  most  pic- 
turesquely located  just  south  of  the  village  on  the  main  road 
from  Canal  Dover.  It  is  not  far  from  the  river  and  the  mill 
race  runs  through  a cluster  of  noble  and  venerable  forest  trees, 
while  across  the  roadway  and  upon  the  slope  of  the  hill  are  the 
home  and  grounds  of  the  miller,  just  named.  His  house  is 
famous  for  containing  a pipe  organ,  made  entirely  by  Mr.  Peter 
Bimeler.  The  wind  department  of  the  instrument  is  ingen- 
iously run  by  a cable  extending  to  the  mill  and  propelled 
by  the  same  power  that  drives  the  grist  wheels.  Mr.  Bimeler 
is  not  only  a genius  in  invention  and  mechanical  construction, 
but  also  he  is  one  in  music.  Without  ever  having  had  any 
instruction  from  professional  or  amateur  teachers,  he  plays  read- 
ily and  most  skillfully  the  most  classical  and  the  most  popular 
music.  It  has  been  remarked  that  music  seems  to  be  the  only 
direction  in  which  the  Zoarites  display  any  talent,  but  that, 
it  may  be  said,  is  common  to  the  German  people.  There  were,, 
however,  no  educated  musicians  in  Zoar.  Worldly  music  was 
prohibited  by  the  more  fervid  in  religion.  They  used  a hyma 
book,  but  sang  sparingly  in  their  church  services.  They  had 
for  some  time  maintained  an  orchestra,  which,  I was  told,  did 
most  creditable  work.  It  was  led  by  Mr.  Louis  Zimmerman, 
the  energetic  secretary  of  the  Society,  and  an  accomplished 
musician.  Mr.  Zimmerman  seemed  to  be  the  promoter  and 
leader  of  whatever  social  life  Zoar  could  boast.  The  Zoar 
brass  band  was  an  institution  of  some  years’  stand- 
ing. I did  not  see  a piano  nor  an  organ  in  any  of 
the  houses,  save  that  described  above  and  the  one  in  their 
church.  ^ I was  much  entertained  one  morning  by  watching 
a band  of  four  or  five  Italian  musicians,  tambourine  and  banjo 
girls,  led  by  the  inevitable  organ  grinder,  as  they  strolled  and! 
played  through  the  village.  The  children  flocked  to  hear  the 
music,  much  as  children  do  anywhere,  but  there  were  no  demon- 
strations of  joy  or  glee,  and  greatly  to  the  disgust  of  the  play- 
ers, who  evidently  did  not  understand  the  peculiar  character  of 
their  audience ; there  were  no  pennies  thrown ; *‘not  one  cent  for 


38 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society. 


tribute” — it  was  not  a cash  community — strange  anomaly, 
money  did  not  circulate  in  that  civilization.  Music,  neverthe- 
less, timid  and  primitive  as  it  seemed  to  be,  constituted  appar- 
ently the  only  form  of  recreation  in  which  Zoar  ever  indulged. 

The  hum-drum  of  Zoar  life  was  relieved  during  the  sum- 
mer months  by  the  visitors  who  frequented  the  place.  Zoar 
is  a favorite  destination  for  excursion  parties  and  these  are 
accommodated  in  a large  and  attractive  grove  called  the  Park, 
just  west  of  the  village  and  overlooking  the  valley  and  river 
of  Tuscarawas.  This  custom  of  permitting  and  even  encourag- 
ing visitors  is  an  innovation  of  late  years  and  one  not  calculated 
to  advance  the  welfare  of  the  community,  which  is  thus  brought 
in  contact  with  the  outside  life  and  a phase  of  it  not  always  the 
most  desirable.  The  Zoar  people  in  their  life  were  almost  de- 
void of  amusements.  Their  religion  prohibited  dancing ; they  had 
no  social  nor  literary  nor  even  musical  entertainments.  Such 
a thing  as  a lecture  or  concert  or  public  entertainment  of  any 
kind  seemed  to  be,  nay  was,  entirely  foreign  to  Zoar.  Nor 
so  far  as  I could  learn  had  they  any  diversions  in  the  home 
circle.  Nor  did  they  seem  to  miss  the  pastimes  of  modern 
society.  Perhaps  their  life,  free  from  care,  worry  and  hurry, 
and  excessive  physical  labor  and  mental  exertion  required  little 
or  no  relaxation.  Their  temperament,  moreover,  was  sedate 
and  stolid.  They  showed  less  sense  of  humor  than  the  Ger- 
man generally  manifests.  Though  on  the  other  hand  they  were 
uniformly  affable  and  good  natured,  perhaps  more  so  than  the 
average  German.  Occasionally  a gleam  of  facetiousness  would 
break  through  their  earnest  conversation.  One  would  imagine 
that  their  isolated  and  fraternal  form  of  life  would  intensify 
sociability ; probably  it  did ; they  knew  each  other  as  one  fam- 
ily and  owing  to  their  close  and  continued  contact  many  fam- 
ilies were  intermarried.  Marital  relationship  and  proximity  of 
residence  is  not  always  promotive  of  friendliness,  but  the  Zoar- 
ites  constituted  to  an  exceptional  degree  a happy  family. 

My  first  visit  was  made  in  the  summer  of  1898,  after  their 
determination  to  divide  the  property  and  dissolve  the  Society, 
but  some  months  before  either  of  those  purposes  were  accom- 
plished. Preparations  were  in  process  for  the  distribution,  such 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society. 


39 


as  the  surveying  and*  appraising  of  the  land.  The  old  regime 
of  the  society  was  still  in  full  force,  but  they  were  inclined  just 
then  to  be  some  somewhat  suspicious  of  visitors  from  fear  of 
interference  with  their  affairs  or  the  acquiring  by  outsiders  of 
information  which  they  did  not  wish  imparted  to  the  public. 
It  was  in  the  afternoon  that  I arrived  at  the  Zoar  hotel,  an 
overwhelmingly  large  hostelry  for  so  small  a town.  The  old 
hotel,  erected  half  a century  ago,  stands  on  the  main  street, 
and  extending  east  on  the  corner  for  fully  a hundred  and  fifty 
feet,  has  had  added  to  its  front  a modern  structure  three  stories 
in  height  and  containing  some  fifty  commodious  rooms.  A wide 
veranda  surrounds  the  new  addition  on  the  west  front  and  south 
side.  This  new  wing  was  added  some  five  or  six  years  since  to 
accommodate  the  large  number  of  summer  boarders  who  frequent 
Zoar  to  spend  a longer  or  shorter  time  enjoying  the  beauti- 
ful scenery,  the  rural  drives  of  the  surrounding  country  and 
the  quaint  and  quiet  life  of  the  village.  The  old  landlord  greeted 
me  respectfully,  but  hardly  with  that  personal  zeal  and  financial 
interest  usually  displayed  by  the  professional  hosts  in  their 
new  guests.  From  majority  he  had  been  allotted  to  “run  the 
hotel.”  He  was  moreover  a trustee  of  the  society  and  a man 
of  unusual  general  intelligence  and  special  knowledge  of  the 
affairs  of  the  Zoarites.  The  hotel  corps,  cooks,  waiters,  etc., 
were  assigned  to  their  duties  as  their  respective  portions  in  the 
labor  of  the  Society.  The  cuisine  was  countrified  but  credit- 
able— not  quite  the  usual  hotel  variety,  but  all  wholesome,  well 
cooked  and  all  the  articles  of  diet  were  the  “real  thing,”  as 
they  were  genuine  home  productions  and  could  be  trusted 
without  the  test  of  the  state  “pure  food”  inspection.  There 
was  a “bar” — the  only  one  in  Zoar — in  the  corner  room  of  the 
hotel,  where  beer  and  wines  were  served;  the  latter  mostly  of 
the  village  vintage.  The  beer  drank  in  this  region  had  here- 
tofore been  solely  that  of  Zoar  brewing,  noted  for  its  purity 
and  excellency.  The  brewery  had  recently  shut  down  and  an 
importation  was  now  all  that  could  be  had.  It  could  be  bought 
cheaper  than  made.  The  Zoarites  drank  beer  freely.  This 
beverage,  fresh  from  the  brewery,  when  in  operation,  was  sup- 
plied to  each  family  in  generous  quantities  each  day,  precisely 


I 


40  History  of  the  Zoar  Society. 

as  was  milk  and  cider.  But  they  were  a sober  people ; rarely 
did  a case  of  intoxication  occur.  The  income  to  the  hotel  from 
whatever  source,  bar,  board  or  livery,  went,  of  course,  to  the 
society  fund,  as  did  all  revenues  received  from  any  source ; none 
went  to  the  landlord  or  any  of  the  hotel  force. 

Across  the  street,  opposite  the  hotel,  was  the  only  store  of 
the  place ; a general  country  store,  where  dry  goods,  grocer- 
ies, hardware,  etc.,  were  provided  for  the  outside  country  cus- 
tomers, the  neighboring  farmers.  This  merchandizing  estab- 
lishment was  conducted  in  the  interests  of  the  Society  and  did 
a large  and  profitable  business.  Mr.  Louis  Zimmermann,  the 
secretary  and  treasurer  of  the  Society,  was  the  manager  of  this, 
as  he  was  of  all  the  negotiations  between  the  Society  and  out- 
side parties.  In  this  store  room  was  the  postofhce  of  the  vil- 
lage. This  store  and  the  hotel  opposite  formed  the  center  of 
the  village  life  and  here  the  male  members  who  were  so  in- 
clined spent  their  lounging  hours,  smoking,  chatting  and  dis- 
cussing the  affairs  of  their  community.  Their  conversation 
was  mostly  in  German,  not  a very  pure  form,  but  rather  a peas- 
ant dialect.  Nearly  all  could  speak  English.  They  were  not 
an  educated  people,  though  all  adults  could  read  and  write  in 
German.  They  were  not  a reading  class.  Literature  of  any 
description  was  conspicuously  absent  in  this  community.  There 
was  no  library  in  the  place ; books  were  a rarity  in  the  homes. 
Some  of  the  Zoarites  were  subscribers  to  a weekly  (generally 
German)  paper,  but  that  was  an  exception.  In  former  years  the 
admission  of  outside  literature  was  discouraged,  if  not  forbid- 
den as  tending  to  weaken  their  religious  faith  and  make  inroads 
into  the  principles  and  practices  of  their  life.  On  the  contrary, 
they  never  attempted  to  propagate  their  doctrines  among  outsid- 
ers. They  never  sought  converts.  No  paper  or  periodi- 
cal of  any  kind  was  ever  printed  or  published  by  the  So- 
ciety. They  took  little  or  no  interest  in  the  concerns  of  the 
outside  world,  unless  it  was  in  national  politics.  This  lack  of  in- 
terest was  true  of  the  older  people  but  did  not  apply  so  mucH 
to  the  younger  generation.  They  were  all  loyal  American  citi- 
zens. In  the  Rebellion,  in  spite  of  their  peace  principles,  many 
enlisted  and  fought  for  the  preservation  of  the  Union,  and  the 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society. 


41 


Society  had  its  quota  of  veterans.  None,  I was  told,  took  part 
in  the  late  Spanish  war.  They  took  an  interest  in  national 
events,  particularly  in  the  campaign  of  1896,  when  as  the  elec- 
tion returns  showed,  almost  to  a man  they  voted  the  Repub- 
lican ticket.  The  money  issue  of  that  campaign  must  have  seemed 
rather  extraneous  to  their  personal  inter-dealings.  The  ques- 
tion may  have  had  a bearing  on  the  commercial  relations  of  the 
Society  with  outsiders,  but  among  themselves  they  had  no  need 
of  nor  use  for  money.  ^Everything  they  permitted  themselves 
to  have  or  enjoy  was  provided  to  the  individual  “without  money 
and  without  price.”  In  this  respect  they,  the  older  ones  espe- 
cially, were  to  be  regarded  as  in  the  position  of  wards  of  an 
estate.  I wondered  what  they  would  do  when  given  their  prop- 
erty and  placed  upon  their  own  responsibility,  exertion  and 
resources..  There  were,  in  a partisan  sense,  no  local  politics 
in  Zoar,  though  there  was  not  an  absence  of  municipal  func- 
tions. Once  a year  the  members  of  the  society  met  in  the 
Town  Hall,  situated  in  a small  frame  building  erected  for  that 
purpose,  and  in  the  little  belfry  of  which  hung  the  bell  that 
called  the  people  to  work  in  the  morning  and  sounded  the  din- 
ner and  quitting  hour.  In  this  little  hall  the  members  would 
gather,  hear  reports  from  their  officers,  consider  their  questions, 
discuss  their  interests  and  hold  their  elections. 

In  1884  (August  25)  when  the  railroad  came  along  and 
established  a station  at  Zoar  and  put  the  village  in  steam  touch 
with  the  world,  the  Zoarites  incorporated^^  their  village  and  as- 
sumed municipal  form,  with  a mayor,  town  council,  marshal, 
etc.  But  in  the  election  of  these  officials  there  was  never  any 
division  of  any  kind.  No  partisan  contests  disturbed  the  even 
tenor  of  Zoar  life.  Their  elections  were  monotonous  and  unani- 
mous. The  municipal  officers  were  chosen  from  the  leading 
members  of  the  Society  and  at  the  time  of  my  visit  Jacob  Sturm, 
one  of  the  three  trustees,  was  the  Mayor  as  well.  He  was  also 
the  railway  station  agent.  His  earnings  belonged  to  the  Society. 

As  the  evening  shades  began  to  fall  an  interesting  scene 
was  presented  by  “the  lowing  herd  winding  slowly”  from  the 

® These  Articles  of  Incorporation  will  be  found  in  latter  part  of  this 
article. 


42 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society, 


pasture  to  the  village  barn.  There  were  “ninety  and  nine”  of 
them,  many  with  their  clanging  bells,  driven,  or  rather  accom- 
panied, by  one  of  the  Zoarite  patriarchs,  who  bore  on  his  bent 
shoulders  the  burden  of  more  than  three-score  and  ten  years. 
The  sleek  kine  filed  leisurely  down  the  lane  into  either  side  of 
the  basement  of  an  immense  barn.  The  name  of  each  cow  was 
posted  in  large  letters  over  her  stall  and  each  found  without 
hesitation  her  own  proper  place.  A dozen  or  more  Zoar  lasses, 
with  pails  and  stools,  cheerily  entered  upon  the  task  of  milk- 
ing, superintended  by  the  stable  “boss.”  The  cattle  and  barn 
were  clean  and  tidy  and  this  milking  scene  was  a memorable  one. 
The  milk  was  carried  into  a small  dairy  close  by,  placed  in  large 
cans,  and  here  dealt  out  to  the  village  housewives  or  children 
who  came  with  their  buckets  to  receive  their  portion.  The 
barn  was  a lofty  concern,  and  in  the  upper  story  was  kept  hay 
and  feed  for  the  cattle.  There  were  two  other  extensive  build- 
ings or  sets  of  buildings  used  in  connection  with  the  farming 
department.  On  the  eastern  edge  of  the  village  were  the  stables 
where  were  kept  all  the  horses,  some  fifty  or  more  in  num- 
ber, and  in  adjoining  buildings  the  wagons,  farm  implements, 
machines,  etc.  The  horses  were  well  fed  and  cared  for,  though 
this  stable  establishment  had  a decidedly  neglected  and  dilapi- 
dated appearance. 

On  a hill  still  to  the  east  of  the  village  was  an  enormous  “L” 
shaped  sheep  shed  with  the  red  tile  roof,  which,  owing  to  the 
elevation  on  which  the  buildings  stood,  could  be  seen  from 
almost  any  direction  for  a long  distance.  At  one  time  wool 
raising  was  a very  great  feature  in  their  industrial  life,  but  the 
flock  of  sheep  now  only  numbered  two  or  three  hundred.  In 
the  good  old  times  it  had  often  numbered  more  than  a thou- 
sand. Not  far  from  the  horse  stable  was  the  cider  mill,  which 
was  in  full  blast,  producing  an  article  of  superior  quality.  When 
in  season  this  was  daily  carted  about  the  village  in  a low- 
wheeled, large-barrelled  conveyance,  precisely  resembling  a small 
sprinkling  wagon.  It  stopped  at  every  door  and  the  inmates 
were  supplied  with  a pail  full  or  more,  as  was  required. 

Not  far  from  the  hotel  was  the  laundry  where  the  washing 
was  done  for  the  community.  Near  by  was  a stunted,  one- 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society, 


43 


story,  suilen,  ominous,  looking  structure  with  small,  iron-grated 
windows  and  a heavy  double  plank  door.  It  was  the  Zoar  Bas- 
tille ; they  called  it  the  “calaboose.”  I inquired  with  much  sur- 
prise as  to  the  necessity  for  this  penal  institution  in  so  moral 
and  sober  a community,  and  was  informed  with  a smile  on  the 
part  of  my  respondent,  that  it  was  built  solely  for  the  benefit  of 
visitors  to  the  village.  It  came  with  the  incorporation  of  the 
town  and  the  town  marshal.  Zoar  was,  as  before  stated,  a fa- 
vorite field  for  the  pleasure  seeker  and  occasionally  the  excur- 
sionist exhiliration  reached  a boisterous  and  even  belligerent 
stage,  and  incarceration  was  the  only  remedy.  In  the  days 
when  the  tramp  was  so  numerously  abroad  in  the  land,  Zoar 
was  his  haven  and  delight,  as  the  generous  and  sympathetic 
Zoarite  would  “take  him  in,”  feed  him  and  lodge  him  over 
night  in  the  lockup.  But  my  informant  proudly  stated  the 
Zoarites  themselves  never  had  any  use  for  a prison.  No  com- 
munity of  like  number  and  age  ever  had  such  a record  for  mor- 
ality and  good  behavior.  From  the  origin  of  the  Society  no 
Zoarite,  while  a member  of  the  Society,  was  ever  charged  with 
a felony  or  crime.  These  remarkable  statements  were  verified 
by  several  of  the  oldest  inhabitants ; certainly  the  highest  testi- 
mony to  the  perfect  character  and  spotless  life  of  the  Separ- 
atists. It  is  doubtful  whether  any  community  in  any  time  or 
place  can  produce  such  a record. 

At  the  northern  outskirts  of  the  village  upon  rising  ground 
that  overlooked  the  whole  settlement  were  the  bakery,  church  and 
schoolhouse.  The  bakery  was  an  interesting  relic  of  the  old  time, 
primeval  bake  ovens.  The  family  having  in  charge  this  important 
feature  of  the  Society’s  provision  department,  were  assigned  a 
good  sized  corner  dwelling,  with  a roomy,  stone  floored  kitchen 
into  the  rear  of  which  was  built  a cavernous  brick  oven,  the  cook- 
ing chamber  of  which  was  elevated  about  two  feet  from  the  level 
of  the  kitchen  floor.  This  oven  was  large  enough  for  a man  to 
easily  enter  and  crawl  about  when  repairs  were  necessary.  The 
heating  apartment  was  a similar  brick  chamber,  not  under  but  at 
the  side  of  the  bake  oven.  Here  most  of  the  baking  was  done 
for  the  village,  though  all  of  the  families  cooked  more  or  less 
for  themselves.  The  schoolhouse  and  church  were  brick  buildings 


44 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society. 


of  many  years  standing.  The  schoolhouse  was  a two  story  struc- 
ture with  a spacious  recitation  room  on  each  floor.  This  property 
was  dedicated  by  the  Society  to  the  Township  school  authorities. 
The  school  was  conducted  in  all  respects  like  any  village  school, 
under  the  state  school  laws.  The  township  school  trustees  elected 
the  teacher  and  paid  him  from  the  public  school  fund.  For  fif- 
teen or  sixteen  years  the  only  teacher  has  been  Mr.  Levi  Bimeler, 
a great-grandson  of  Joseph  Bimeler.  He  obligingly  showed  me 
through  the  school  building  and  I found  him  a gentleman  of  ability 
and  culture.  He  had  been  fitted  for  his  profession  by  attending 
the  public  schools  at  Strasburg  (Tuscarawas  county)  and  the 
Normal  Schools  at  Shanesville  and  New  Philadelphia.  These 
outside  educational  advantages,  improved  by  Mr.  Bimeler,  were 
at  the  expense  of  the  Society  and  so  far  as  I could  learn  this 
was  the  only  instance  in  which  a member  had  been  sent  away 
or  been  permitted  to  leave  temporarily  for  the  purpose  of  being 
educated. 

He  held  his  certificate  from  the  county  board  as  any  public 
school  teacher.  He  was  paid  the  salary  of  fifty  dollars  per  month, 
which  of  course  under  the  rules  of  the  community  he  turned  into 
the  treasury  of  the  Society.  It  was  vacation  when  I visited  the 
building  and  I did  not  see  the  school  in  operation.  Mr.  Bimeler 
informed  me  that  there  were  ninety-five  pupils  enrolled  and  about 
sixty-five  in  average  attendance.  This  number  embraced,  how- 
ever, many  children  not  belonging  to  the  Zoar  society  or  village, 
but  residing  in  this  school  territory,  children  of  outside  neighbor- 
ing farmers. 

Might  not  this  collateral  education  of  the  Zoar  young  and 
the  ^‘worldly”  youth  have  been  a dangerous  influence  upon  the 
growth  or  retention  of  the  principles  of  the  Zoarites  in  their  boys 
and  girls? 

All  the  Zoarite  children  attended  school  from  the  ages  of  six 
to  fifteen  with  the  girls,  and  to  sixteen  in  case  of  the  boys.  The 
pupils,  their  tutor  testified  were  bright,  attentive,  studious  and 
obedient.  The  course  covered  the  main  studies  of  the  primary  and 
grammar  grades.  There  were  a few  studies  that  might  be  classed 
as  in  the  high  school  curriculum.  The  instruction  was  in  Eng- 
lish except  on  two  days  in  the  week,  when  they  were  taught  Ger- 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society. 


45 


tnan.  Music  was  a favorite  study  and  in  that  the  pupils  did  well. 
The  children  of  the  village  with  whom  I talked  seemed  intelligent, 
well  behaved  and  obedient,  and  less  forward  and  “pert’'  in  man- 
ner than  the  average  American  youth  of  similar  age. 

The  village  church  if  not  orthodox  in  its  faith  was  so  in  its 
furniture  with  its  old  fashioned,  straight  back  seats.  The  walls 
and  ceilings  were  uncolored  and  unadorned ; the  whole  air  of  the 
interior  was  cold  and  uninviting.  A melodeon  was  on  the  plat- 
form near  the  desk.  On  the  open  space  back  of  the  seats  stood 
one  of  the  colossal  Zoar  stoves,  with  a capacity  sufficient  to  absorb 
the  contents  of  a small  coal  mine  at  one  divine  service.  But  coal 
in  those  parts  was  plenty  as  the  lands  of  the  Society  were  well  sup- 
plied with  this  mineral,  though  it  was  not  of  the  best  grade.  Be- 
fore the  decline  of  interest  in  religious  observances,  the  services 
were  three  on  the  Sabbath ; a Sunday  school  in  the  afternoon  and 
worship  exercises  in  the  morning  and  evening.  There  were  no 
prayers  — only  a song  or  two  and  the  reading  of  one  of 
Bimeler’s  discourses.  This  reading  had  lately  been  done 
by  the  village  gardener  who  acted  as  both  florist  and  par- 
son. Bimeler’s  homilies  had  been  read  and  re-read  till  they 
had  become  an  old  story  and  interest  in  them  was  sadly  waning. 
Much  that  they  contained  had  become  obsolete  in  the  Zoar  belief. 
Attendance  upon  church  was  not  obligatory  and  the  audiences 
were  slowly  dwindling  in  number  and  zeal.  All  services  had  been 
abandoned  at  the  time  of  my  visit,  and  as  one  member  remarked, 
their  religious  sentiment  was  passing  away,  as  a prelude  to  the 
departure  of  their  communism.  The  descendants  of  the  pioneer 
and  pious  Separatists  clung  no  longer  to  the  plain  and  simple  faith 
of  their  fathers.  But  while  there  seemed  to  be  an  abatement  of 
religious  life  in  the  Society  there  was  no  lessening  in  the  standard 
of  their  moral  conduct.  The  church  was  not  used  for  the  cere- 
monies usually  celebrated  in  the  sanctuary.  The  funerals  and  wed- 
dings did  not  take  place  in  the  kirk.  There  was  no  religious  ob- 
servance in  marriage.  It  was  purely  a civil  contract,  the  legal  part 
being  performed  by  a justice  of  the  peace.  In  1898,  and  for  some 
years  previous,  the  secretary  of  the  Society  held  the  office  of  jus- 
tice of  the  peace,  and  discharged  all  the  duties  of  the  same.  They 
did  not  permit  members  to  marry  outside  of  the  society,  and  re- 


46 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society, 


quiredall  who  made  outside  matrimonial  alliances  to  leave  the  com- 
munity. When  marriage  first  began  amoilg  them  the  plan  was 
adopted  that  the  children  should  remain  in  the  care  of  their  parents 
until  three  years  of  age,  when  they  were  housed  in  a common  chil- 
dren’s home,  the  girls  in  one  and  the  boys  in  another,  where  each 
respectively  were  brought  up  under  the  direction  of  persons  ap- 
pointed for  that  purpose ; nor  did  they  ever  again  come  under  the 
exclusive  control  of  their  parents.  This  custom  prevailed  until 
1845,  when  it  was  discontinued  and  thereafter  the  children  were 
reared  in  the  homes  of  and  by  their  parents,  subject  to  the  juris- 
diction of  the  trustees,  to  the  extent  that  their  authority  invaded 
the  domestic  life.  It  was  the  business  of  the  Society,  through  the 
trustees,  to  provide  for  the  children  all  they  required,  until  they 
became  of  age  and  elected  to  become  members  of  the  Society. 

The  funerals  were  very  simple  affairs,  there  being  no  cere- 
mony of  any  kind  either  at  the  house  or  at  the  burial.  The 
encased  body,  in  an  open  wagon,  followed  by  the  villagers  on 
foot,  was  quietly  conveyed  to  the  grave  at  the  usual  hour  of 
I P.  M.  The  following  Sunday  evening  a funeral  sermon  was 
read  in  the  church.  The  cemetery,  situated  on  a hill  north- 
west of  the  village,  was  a veritable  “God’s  acre densely  shaded 
by  fir  trees,  the  grounds  almost  without  paths  and  profusely 
overgrown  with  grass,  wild  flowers,  creeping  vines  and  weeds. 
Until  a few  years  ago,  tombstones  were  proscribed.  The  graves 
were  not  even  designated.  Bimeler  requested  that  no  monu- 
ment mark  his  sepulchre,  and  none  does.  I could  not  find  it, 
though  its  location  is  well  known  to  his  people.  It  is  now  the 
custom  to  have  the  graves  marked  by  a wooden  head-piece  or 
in  some  cases  by  a stone  slab. 

Such  were  the  more  noticeable  external  features,  as  pre-^ 
sented  to  me  during  my  few  days’  sojourn  in  Zoar.  They  were 
a unique  and  in  many  respects  remarkable  people,  leading  a 
peculiar  and  isolated  life.  Their  daily  needs  and  simple  wants 
were  all  readily  supplied.  Their  lives  were  peaceful  and  easeful^ 
proof  of  the  sad  refrain  of  Anna  Boleyn: 

“ 'Tis  better  to  be  lowly  born, 

And  range  with  humble  livers  content.” 


History  of  the  Zcar  Society. 


47 


The  men  looked  well  fed  and  ruddy  and  moved  about  with 
a deliberation  at  times  almost  amounting  to  indifference.  The 
women  were  noticeably  the  busier  and  more  active.  In  the 
earlier  period  of  the  community  they  shared  almost  equally  the 
physical  labors  of  the  men.  They  cleared  the  forest  and  tilled 
the  field  no  less  than  their  husbands  and  sons.  After  the  So- 
ciety reached  its  prosperous  stage,  the  lot  of  the  women  was  an 
easier  one.  Their  household  cares  were  lighter  than  is  usually 
the  case  with  housewives.  But  they  did  not  appear  as  hale 
and  hearty  as  the  men,  perhaps,  possibly,  because  they  confined 
themselves  indoors  more  than  is  generally  the  habit  with  the 
village  dame.  But  they  were  happy  and  contented.  Their  do- 
mestic life  was  serene  and  pleasant.  This  is  evidenced  by  the 
astounding  fact  that  there  had  never  been  a divorce  in  the  So- 
ciety. At  the  time  of  my  visit  the  wives,  though  consenting  to 
the  coming  change  in  the  community,  were  more  anxious  than 
their  husbands  as  to  the  outcome. 

To  one  from  the  hurly-burly  of  the  business  world  the  vil- 
lage of  Zoar  seemed  oppressed  with  an  air  of  stillness,  if  not 
even  sluggishness.  Hamlet  could  have  walked  the  streets  of 
Zoar  for  a stage  and  have  truly  remarked: 

“And  enterprises  of  great  pith  and  moment, 

With  this  regard  their  currents  turn  away, 

And  lose  the  name  of  action.” 

What  did  the  Zoarites  themselves  think  of  it?  Did  they 
regard  it  as  a success?  Did  they  wish  to  change  this  life  to 
one  of  individual  responsibility  and  result  ? 

The  patriarch,  whose  duty  it  was  to  drive  the  cows  to  pasture 
at  early  morn  and  to  the  barn  at  dewy  eve,  did  not  wish  to  give  up 
the  Zoarite  scheme.  Communism  with  him  had  been  and  still  was 
a success.  This  was  the  sentiment  of  many  of  the  older  members — 
it  was  too  late  for  them  to  launch  out  into  the  world  on  an  untried 
experience  for  themselves ; many  of  them  succumbed  reluctantly 
and  apprehensively  to  the  will  of  the  great  majority  — in  the  de- 
cision to  disband.  To  them  it  was  a life  free  from  care,  worry  and 
excessive  work.  They  literally  took  no  thought  for  the  morrow. 
They  lay  down  in  comfortable  homes  at  night,  in  certain  and  sat- 
isfactory knowledge  that  they  would  be  equally  well  provided  for 


48  History  of  the  Zoar  Society. 

on  the  succeeding  day.  What  boon  in  life  greater  or  more  desir- 
able than  that  ? 

“From  toil,  his  spirits  light, 

From  busy  day  the  peaceful  night, 

Rich,  from  the  very  want  of  wealth 
In  heaven’s  best  treasures,  peace  and  health.” 

The  Zoar  region  was  a remarkably  healthy  one ; the  pure  and 
wholesome  food,  their  simple  and  regular  habits,  all  united  to  pre- 
vent disease  and  prolong  life. 

There  was  one  doctor  in  the  Society,  the  only  one  they  had 
known  for  a generation.  His  office  was  a room  or  two  in  one  of 
the  less  attractive  buildings  near  the  hotel.  He  was  self-educated ; 
had  ^^picked  up”  his  medical  knowledge;  his  nostrums  were  few 
and  simple  and  nature  was  doubtless  his  chief  assistant;  his 
''school”,  if  he  had  any,  might  be  called  "the  school  of  common 
sense.”  In  extremely  difficult  cases  an  outside  surgeon  might  be 
called  in. 

"Yes,”  said  the  doctor  in  his  chat  with  me,  "the  old  ones  are 
not  so  anxious  to  quit  but  the  young  ones  are  bound  to  wind  up. 
They  go  out  and  get  a taste  of  the  world  and  its  opportunities 
and  activities  and  they  become  discontented  and  restless.” 

And  that  was  true ; many  a family  had  a son  in  the  great  west 
or  some  large  city.  The  young  men  wanted  to  start  out  for  them- 
selves and  possess  and  control  the  results  of  their  efforts.  The  bar- 
ber shop  was  a little  back  room  allotted  for  that  purpose  in  the  town 
hall  building.  Two  days  in  the  week  the  members,  who  were  ad- 
dicted to  the  custom,  were  shaven  and  also  such  visitors  as  were  in 
need  of  tonsorial  attention.  The  knight  of  the  razor  was  a bright 
young  fellow  who  gave  me  fair  facial  treatment,  and  with  the  cus- 
tomary barber’s  conversational  powers  imparted  much  information 
as  I plied  him  with  questions.  He  was  of  age,  born  and  raised  in 
the  Society  but  did  not  care  to  become  a member.  "No  chance 
here  for  a young  man.”  He  contemplated  going  off  to  "find  a 
job”  elsewhere ; wanted  to  do  for  himself ; had  already  "worked 
several  years  and  had  nothing  to  show  for  it.”  But  as  he  was 
eligible  to  probation  and  membership  he  hoped  by  remaining  with 
the  community  until  the  distribution  that  he  might  get  half  a share. 
There  were  several  in  the  same  situation.  As  I gave  him  the  price 


MAIN  STREET  LOOKING  NORTH. 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society. 


49 


of  his  labor  (shave)  he  remarked  if  he  were  his  own  man  he  would 
get  that,  while  now  '‘it  goes  to  the  Society.’’  He  thought  it  was 
better  for  all  that  they  divide  up. 

The  blacksmith,  a stalwart  six  footer,  testified  he  had  worked 
hard  all  his  life  with  an  indefinite  undivided  property  interest  as 
his  reward.  “Think  how  much  I would  have  now  had  I worked 
and  saved  for  myself  — some  in  the  Society  have  done  hardly  any 
work,  but  will  get  the  same  that  I do.  This  way  of  doing  busi- 
ness is  not  natural,  nor  right,”  he  added. 

I found  several  who  touched  on  this  note  — that  those  put  at 
the  hard  or  difficult,  or  continuous  tasks  felt  that  others  were  not 
so  heavily  burdened  — yet  the  recompense  was  precisely  the  same. 
One  whose  task  began  at  times  at  daylight  and  did  not  end  till 
night  was  very  “sore”  at  some  who  got  off  with  “easy  jobs.”  This 
feeling  of  the  inequality  of  the  exertion  put^forth  and  of  the  labor 
performed  was  very  often  expressed  in  no  undisguised  terms. 
Yet  all  admitted  it  was  not  the  fault  of  the  authorities  in  their 
efforts  to  assign  and  equalize  the  work.  The  trustees  tried  to  be 
fair  and  judicious  in  the  apportionment.  It  was  natural  for  some 
to  work.  It  was  equally  natural  in  some  to  shirk.  Said  one  of 
the  most  intelligent  and  observant  in  the  Society:  “This  sys- 
tem of  communism  puts  a premium  on  indolence.”  It  deadened 
the  spurs  and  motives  of  activity.  Some  one  has  said  man  is  nat- 
urally a lazy  animal,  he  only  works  because  he  has  to.  Human 
nature  is  prone  to  seek  the  paths  that  present  the  least  resistance. 
Communism  affords  favorable  conditions  for  the  discouragement 
of  energy  and  the  exercise  of  the  inertia. 

I was  not  a little  amused  at  my  encounter  with  the  “boss”  of 
the  barn.  He  was  silently  engaged  in  extracting  the  lacteal  wealth 
from  one  of  the  patient  kine  — that  prosaic  process  commonly 
called  milking.  I approached  and  addressed  him  in  English,  elic- 
iting no  response.  I then  tried  my  German,  rusty  from  disuse  and 
many  years  absence  from  its  Fatherland.  He  evidently  preferred 
my  better  American  to  my  bad  German.  To  my  queries  he  ac- 
knowledged he  heartily  favored  a distribution  and  a chance  for 
himself.  The  communistic  system  gave  the  lazy  too  much  leeway. 
He  toiled  while  others  slept.  Finally  to  spike  my  battery  of  inter- 
4 


50 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society. 


rogatories  he  asked,  '‘Was  you  one  of  dem  newspaper  fellers  what 
wants  to  know  evertings?”  “No,''  I replied,  “I  am  a college  pro- 
fessor/' “Oh,  veil,"  he  instantly  retorted,  “dot  was  the  same  ting 
and  just  as  bad."  We  understood  each  other  perfectly  after 
that  and  became  good  friends. 

In  the  hot  boiler  room  of  the  cider  mill  I found  one  of  the 
oldest  members  who  seemed  to  be  the  personification  of  con- 
tentment. He  was,  and  for  many  years  had  been,  the  fireman 
and  he  sat  in  his  bared  arms  eating  an  apple  and  apparently 
wrapt  in  pleasing  meditation.  I think  he  must  have  been  think- 
ing of  the  approaching  dismemberment  of  the  community,  for 
upon  my  asking  his  views  he  unhesitatingly  stated  he  had  keenly 
•enjoyed  the  Zoar  life.  It  had  been  one  of  plenty  and  peace. 
Eut  he  realized  there  had  come  a changed  condition  of  affairs 
and  he  philosophically  accepted  the  “new  dispensation."  “Yes," 
lie  said,  “I  was  satisfied  and  happy.  It  was  all  right  till  a few 
years  yet.  I know  not  how  it  will  do  in  the  new  way,  but  we 
must  make  the  change,  dat  was  sure." 

The  good  old  shoemaker  who,  with  two  younger  assistants, 
was  ‘‘pegging  away"  in  a faithful  but  deliberate  manner,  was  in 
favor  of  the  dissolution,  though  a little  uncertain  and  uneasy  about 
the  outcome  to  himself  and  some  others.  All  three  agreed  it  was 
“not  according  to  nature  for  one  to  work  for  others,"  “it  is  better 
that  each  be  by  himself  and  know  what  he  has  got."  The  element 
of  self-interest  and  individuality  was  self-assertive.  The  principle, 
"“every  man  for  himself,"  was  a popular  sentiment.  Many  minor 
influences  had  been  working  to  undermine  the  Society.  Oppor- 
tunities had  been  increasing  as  time  passed  for  the  shrewd  and 
enterprising  ones  to  acquire  sums  of  money  in  a way  that  did  not 
demand,  in  their  estimation,  its  being  turned  into  the  general  fund. 
This  developed  in  some  curious  and  ingenious  ways.  Many  fami- 
lies raised  chickens  in  their  yards ; these  and  the  eggs  they  would 
sell  to  outsiders.  This  questionable  method  of  traffic  created  much 
dissatisfaction  and  the  trustees  endeavored  at  times  to  regulate 
and  equalize  the  poultry  production  — by  dictating  the  number  of 
fowls  each  family  might  raise.  This  attempt  was  found  difficult 
to  enforce.  Housewives  would  take  in  washing  for  the  visitors ; 
the  young  and  older  too  would  do  sewing  for  the  summer  board- 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society.  61 

ers,  or  make  lace  and  various  articles  for  sale;  the  boys ’would’- 
catch  and  sell  fish ; make  and  let  boats  on  thfe  Hver ; ’slip  ofi,  aft^r 
work  and  do  odd  jobs  for  outside  parties.  ' Individual  eficft  for 
personal  gain  could  not  be  suppressed  nor  equal^zed.\  ,'  I was ‘talk-; 
ing  with  one  of  the  elder  members  as  he  sat  on ‘his  ^rch  v/hen  1 ’ 
young  man  rode  up  on  a Columbia  wheel,  dismounted  and  entered 
the  house.  He  was  the  son  of  my  old  friend.  I asked  if  the  So- 
ciety furnished  bicycles  to  the  members.  The  old  gentleman 
laughed  and  said  “not  much”,  and  he  explained  that  the  young  fel- 
low earned  money  nights  working  for  the  railroad  and  bought  a 
wheel.  It  was  the  only  safety  I saw  in  Zoar,  but  the  manner  of  its 
acquisition  was  illustrative  of  one  of  the  currents  that  was  in  op- 
position to  the  simple  communism  with  which  they  started. 
Another  source  of  inequality  and  dissatisfaction  was  the  furnish- 
ing certain  members  at  times  with  money  to  go  upon  trips 
to  see  friends  or  transact  some  necessary  business  at  a distant 
point.  Those  who  had  no  occasion  for  going  objected  to  or  at 
least  regarded  with  disfavor  those  who  went.  Again,  and  one 
of  the  most  important  items  tending  toward  disruption  was  the 
necessity  for  the  Society  to  ei^loy  help.  Their  principal  busi- 
ness had  always  been  farming*and  stock-raising.  This  required 
the  continuous  labor  of  many  “farm  hands.”  Their  farming  in- 
terest was  about  the  only  one  left  them.  The  young  and  stout 
men  were  drifting  away.  The  older  members  were  unable  to  do 
hard  and  incessant  manual  work.  There  were  thousands  of  acres 
to  care  for  or  go  to  waste.  The  Society  was  driven  to  the  em- 
ployment of  imported  help.  A field  near  the  cemetery  was  being 
plowed  by  four  teams,  driven  by  as  many  plowmen.  I accosted 
them  as  Zoarites,  only  to  learn  all  were  “hired  help”  and  foreign 
to  the  Society.  Some  fifty  men  were  on  the  pay  roll  of  the  So- 
ciety at  the  time  of  my  visit,  all  of  course  non-members.  There 
were  also  several  adult  members  [by  birth]  of  Zoar  families  who 
declined  to  become  members  of  the  Society,  but  who  were  per- 
mitted to  remain  in  the  community  and  who,  in  addition  to  get- 
ting their  living  from  the  Society,  were  paid  small  annual  sums 
for  their  work.  They  were  of  course  eligible  to  membership 
but  for  various  reasons  did  not  wish  to  legally  join.  A main 
factor  in  the  failure  of  the  Society  was  the  general  decline  of 


62 


Jlisiory  of  the  Zoar  Society. 


, its  ioidus tries  and  the  shrinkage  in  values.  To  the  decline  in  the 
^industfiqs  qi,tlii^,sic*ciety  I have  already  referred.  The  shrinkage 
:i/i  va-ues  of  both  real  and  personal  property  was  necessarily  not 
-cor^f^ntd  at  this 'time  to  the  Society.  It  was  common  to  the 
copntjiy  wherever  property  of  any  description  was  to  be  found. 

A few  Zoarites  acknowledged  that  the  communistic  plan 
fostered  extravagance  or  at  least  lack  of  thrift  and  economy  on 
the  part  of  the  members.  There  was  great  and  unnecessary  waste 
of  material,  particularly  in  the  line  of  food  and  fuel  and  house- 
hold necessities.  The  baker  would  get  from  the  miller  more 
flour  than  was  actually  needed.  The  consumers  drew  from  the 
baker  more  than  their  needs  demanded.  Not  being  required  to 
save  for  themselves,  they  naturally  did  not  attempt  to  save  for 
others  or  for  all.  What  came  so  easily  and  so  plentifully  was 
not  properly  valued  and  there  was  no  incentive  to  household 
economy. 


DECISION  TO  DISBAND. 


The  history  of  Zoar  is  the  record  of  the  rise  and  decline 
of  a communistic  civilization.  In  the  pioneer  years,  their  re- 
ligious zeal  and  physical  necessities  impelled  them  to  industry 
and  thrift.  After  the  forming  of  the  communistic  contract  they 
prospered  as  a Society.  The  country  was  opening  up ; the  west- 
ern tide  of  emigration,  as  it  swept  by  or  settled  about  them, 
fostered  their  industries  and  enhanced  the  value  of  their  prop- 
erty. The  building  of  the  Ohio  Canal  was  of  great  benefit  to 
them.  They  contracted  to  dig  the  canal  throughout  the  ex- 
tent of  their  territory,  by  which  they  not  only  acquired  the  sum 
of  $21,000.00  in  ready  money,  but  also  made  a considerable  sum 
by  furnishing  the  neighboring  contractors  with  articles  of  food.^^ 
It  was  a period  of  development ; of  clearing  and  improving 
the  land ; of  labor  and  of  saving.  They  added  to  their  original 
purchase  until  at  one  time  they  possessed  some  twelve  thousand 
acres.  They  not  only  built  up  industries  for  their  own  con- 
sumption, but  established  a large  commerce  with  the  outside 


*3  Penny  Magazine  (1837)  Vol.  VI,  page  411. 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society . 


53 


world.  The  growth  and  prosperity  of  the  Society  was  largely 
due  to  the  ability  and  shrewdness  of  Joseph  Bimeler.  Until  his 
death  the  affairs  of  the  community  progressed.  This  success 
continued,  or  rather  remained  undiminished  for  several  years 
after  his  death.^^  Then  the  decline  set  in  and  for  the  past  twenty- 
five  years  the  interests  of  the  Society,  as  one  member  put  it, 
^‘have  been  going  down.”  Their  trade  gradually  fell  off,  their 
income  decreased  and  their  expenses  increased.  Their  young 
and  active  members  deserted.  At  various  times  in  its  history 
individual  members  withdrew  and  made  claim  for  their  distribu- 
tive shares  of  the  accumulated  property.  More  rarely  a disso- 
lution was  suggested,  but  such  proposal  met  with  little  or  no 
encouragement  among  the  members.  In  the  few  bygone  years 
the  more  intelligent  and  observant  among  them  could  not  fail 
to  realize  that  the  Society  was  ^‘auf  die  Neige”  — on  the  wane 
— and  time  alone  would  determine  its  dismemberment. 

One  of  the  most  interesting  episodes  in  the  later  history 
of  the  Society  was  the  outspoken  “rebellion”  of  one  of  its 
leading  members,  Mr.  Levi  Bimeler,  the  descendant  of  Joseph 
Bimeler  and  the  village  school  master,  of  whom  we  have  already 
made  mention.  _ 

Mr.  Bimeler  was  educated,  as  has  been  noted,  outside  of  the 
Society.  He  openly  advocated  the  right  of  the  members  to  with- 
draw and  receive  their  distributive  share  if  they  desired  it.  In 
1895  Mr.  Bimeler  promulgated  his  views  in  a little  folio, — a four- 
page  sheet  about  the  size  of  a legal  cap  page.  Mr.  Bimeler  was 
editor,  publisher  and  pressman.  He  wrote  the  entire  contents  of 
his  paper — a monthly — and  then  duplicated  it  upon  a letter 
copying  press.  The  edition  was  of  course  very  limited,  a hundred 
or  more,  and  sold  to  the  members.  It  was  the  only  periodical 
publication  ever  attempted  in  Zoar. 


2^  As  late  as  1875  their  property  was  estimated  at  the  nominal  value 
of  $1,500,000.  About  the  date  of  Bimeler’s  death,  the  society  numbered 
some  500  adults  and  children.  This  number  in  1885  was  390  according 
to  the  statement  in  Prof.  Ely’s  “Eabor  Movement  in  America.” 


64 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society. 


This  organ  of  the  agitator  was  called  the  “Nugitna”  and 
three  numbers  were  issued,  the  fourth  partially  prepared  for 
duplication  and  publication,  when  the  editor  was  “called  down’^ 
by  the  Society  authorities  and  g^ven  to  understand  that  unless 
he  ceased  his  vexatious  and  rebellious  publication  he  would 
be  expelled  and  deprived  of  all  rights,  present  or  prospective, 
in  the  Society.  The  fourth  number  never  appeared.  As  these 
monthlies  represent  an  element  — however  small  it  may  have  been 
— in  the  Society  at  the  time  of  their  appearance,  and  as  they  con- 
tribute much  information  concerning  the  history  and  purpose 
of  the  Society,  they  are  herewith  reproduced  without  alteration. 
They  have  historic  interest  and  deserve  permanent  preservation 
in  the  archives  of  Zoar. 

We  would  not  say  that  they  are  to  be  taken  as  voicing  the 
popular  sentiment  at  the  period  of  their  publication.  As  the 
editor  frankly  confesses,  his  propaganda  met  with  both  approval 
and  disapproval.  The  exercise  of  the  censorship  of  the  press  in 
this  case  would  indicate  a centralized  power  in  this  equal  com- 
munity. The  “Nugitna”,  as  the  reader  will  observe,  was  a 
bugle-blast  for  individual  rights  in  no  mild  or  mistaken  tones. 
It  is  the  irony  of  fate  that  a Bimeler  should  have  been  the  most 
pronounced  iconoclast  of  his  great-grandfather’s  institution.  The 
claim  for  which  the  “Nugitna”  contended  was  not  a new  or  novel 
one.  It  had  often  been  made  at  various  times  and  by  various 
members  who  wished  to  withdraw  from  the  Society  and  take 
their  “belongings”  with  them,  or  by  members  who  had  with- 
drawn. We  have  already  reported  the  law  cases  growing  out 
of  such  claims.  But  we  let  the  “Nugitna”  speak  for  itself. 


THE  NUGITNA. 


VoL  /.  Zoatf  Ohio,  ^Dec,  30,  1895,  i JVb.  /. 


INDEPENDENCE,  NOW  AND  FOREVER  I 

When,  in  the  course  of  human  events,  it  becomes  necessary 
for  one  person  to  dissolve  the  political  bands  which  connect  him 
with  a Communistic  Society,  and  to  assume  among  the  citizens 
of  a state  the  equal  and  separate  station  to  which  the  laws  of 
nature  and  of  nature’s  God  entitle  him,  a decent  respect  to  the 
opinions  of  his  fellow  Communists  requires  that  he  should  de- 
clare the  cause  which  impel  him  to  such  separation.  Whenever 
any  form  of  government  becomes  destructive  of  the  ends  for 
which  it  was  instituted,  it  is  the  right  of  the  governed  to  amend 
or  abolish  it. 

Fellow  Communists.  I quote  the  above,  with  slight  altera- 
tions, from  the  “ Declaration  of  Independence.”  It  fits  our  con- 
ditions exactly.  And,  if  we  possess  only  half  the  “grit”  and 
determination  of  our  ancestors,  we  will  be  successful  in  obtaining 
the  coveted  liberty  and  Independence.  This  Society  has  for  a 
long  time  back  become  destructive  of  the  ends  for  which  it  was 
instituted. 

You  know — or  perhaps  you  don’t — that  this  “Communistic 
Society”  was  instituted  for  these  five  ends;  viz:  1st.  To  secure 
that  satisfaction,  proceeding  from  the  faithful  execution  of  those 
principles  and  duties  which  the  Christian  religion  demands ; 2nd, 


55 


THE  NUGITNA. 


To  plant  and  establish  the  Spirit  of  Love  as  the  bond  of  peace 
and  unity ; 3rd.  To  unite  our  various  individual  interests  into 
one  common  stock;  4th.  To  abolish  all  distinctions  of  rank 
and  of  fortune ; 5th.  To  live  as  brethren  and  sisters  of  one  com- 
mon family. 

We  believe  that  the  faithful  execution  of  those  ‘ ‘ Christian 
-duties  ” was  an  easy  matter  to  our  forefathers,  but  that  it  is  not 
possible  for  us  to  do  likewise  as  Communists.  We  may  form 
the  best  resolves,  and  aim  to  live  according  to  the  rules  laid 
down  by  the  founders  of  this  Community,  but  all  of  these  vanish 
like  a light  morning  mist,  when  we  see  the  total  corruptness  of 
our  whole  system.  Some,  indeed,  still  believe  that  this  is  the 
system,  and  can  not  understand  why  some  have  the  audacity  to 
condemn  it,  and  to  attempt  to  withdraw  therefrom  with  a proper 
share  of  the  Society’s  property.  But  some  day  they  will  have  a 
revelation.  Look  about  you,  and  show  me  the  man  or  woman 
who  has  secured  the  desired  satisfaction  as  indicated  in  the  1st 
end.  There  is  not  one  who  can  truly  say  it.  Examine  your- 
selves, go  down  into  the  depths  of  your  conscience  and  ask 
yourself — Am  I living  up  to  this  purpose?  — and  the  answer 
will  surely  be  negative.  To  those  who  say  that  they  have  lived 
and  are  now  living  in  accordance  with  the  1st  end,  I can  only 
say  that  they  are  the  worst  hypocrites  existing,  and  that  none 
but  their  like  believe  them. 


56 


THE  NUGITNA. 


THE  NUGITNA 

Is  published  every  four  weeks.  Its 
aim  is  to  secure  to  the  mem- 
bers of 

THE  ZOAR  SOQETY 

the  right  to  withdraw  therefrom, 
and  to  receive  a proper  share  of 
the  Society’s  property. 

TERMS; 

Local  subscribers,  per  copy,  5 cents ; 
per  year  ISO  cents.  By  mail,  per 
copy  10  cents;  per  year,  $1.00. 

LEVI  BIMELER, 

Editor  and  Publisher^  Zoar^  Ohio. 


COMMENTS  ON  THE  MEETING 
OF  DECEMBER  Srd,  1895. 

The  meeting  was  opened  by 
Mr.  Zimmerman  who,  in  a few, 
well  chosen  words,  briefly  stated 
the  object  for  which  the  meet- 
ing was  called.  Mr.  Beuter, 
sr.,  opened  the  discussion  in 
his  usual  way  on  such  occa- 
sions— exhorting  the  members 
to  continue  in  this  state  of 
Communism,  but  advised  also 
to  discard  certain  avoidable 
habits  of  intemperance  and 
gluttony.  He  was  followed  by 


Christ.  Ruof  jr.  who  spoke  in 
direct  opposition  of  Mr.  Beu- 
ter’s  1st  theme.  Next  came 
Jacob  Sturm  who  entertained 
the  meeting  by  an  explanation. 
Next  spoke  L.  Bimeler  who  ad- 
vocated the  peaceable  dissolu- 
tion of  the  bands  which  con- 
nect individual  members  with 
the  Society.  He  was  ably  sec- 
onded by  Messrs.  Sylvan, 
Kuemmerle  and  P.  J.  Bimeler. 
Charles  Ehlers  ably  presented 
the  real  object  of  the  meeting. 

Others  followed;  some  act- 
ing in  a gentlemanly  manner  as 
did  those  who  spoke  before 
them,  while  others  lost  all  con- 
trol over  their  tempers  and  gave 
vent  to  their  personal  feelings 
against  one  another. 

Christian  Ruof  sr.  was  con- 
spicuous through  his  absence. 

The  meeting,  after  complet- 
ing its  object,  adjourned  wiser 
than  when  it  met. 

A few  more  such  meetings 
with  the  people  who  have  no 
other  way  of  obtaining  Data, 
will  work  wonders. 


67 


THE  NUGITNA. 


TOWN  TOPICS. 

The  time  for  the  annual 
slaughtering  of  hogs  is  at  hand. 
The  party  of  slaughterers  be- 
gan their  work  on  the  16th 
inst.  and  disposed  of  the  1st 
lot  of  hogs,  45  head,  in  less 
than  one  week. 

John  Gantenbein,  the  bar- 
ber, was  waiter  at  the  butcher’s 
meals.  John  is  a good  waiter 
and  always  gives  satisfaction. 
On  this  occasion  however,  he 
caught  cold — the  weather  be- 
ing wet  and  cool — and  was  sick 
for  a week  after.  John  says 
‘ ‘ Das  kann  mir  gestohlen  wer- 
den”;  and  “ The  next  time  I’ll 
tend  to  my  business  only.” 

The  Society  is  actively  en- 
gaged in  lumbering  and  is  ship- 
ping the  lumber  to  all  parts  of 
the  globe. 

Frank  Kappel  and  Rosa  Ruof 
— both  born  in  Zoar  but  for  a 
number  of  years  away  from 
home — are  visiting  at  their  pa- 
rents. Both  look  well  and 
happy. 

GUESTS  AT  THE  HOTEL. 

Mr.  Lockwood;  Miss  Scoti; 
and  A.  Gunn. 

The  “Gold  Mine”  is  flooded. 


The  entertainment  given  by 
the  pupils  of  the  Zoar  Schools 
assisted  by  the  classes  of  ’94 
and  ’95  was  well  attended  and 
gave  universal  satisfaction.  The 
classes  of ’94  and  ’95 — all  girls  be- 
tween 15  and  18  years  of  age — 
made  an  immense  impression  on 
the  young  men  in  the  audience. 
Such  expressions  as  ‘ ‘ They 
look  like  a garden  of  Roses  in 
bloom”;  “Ah,  me!  I wish  she 
were  mine”;  “The  sweet  an- 
gels;” and  half  suppressed 
sighs  were  heard  on  all  sides. 

COUNCIL  PROCEEDINGS. 

Dec.  9th.  Council  met  in 
regular  session.  No  business 
being  on  hand  Council  ad- 
journed. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Obed  Burkhart 
were  made  happy.  It  is  a boy, 

Mr.  Leo.  Kern,  a veteran  of 
the  Civil  war,  was  held  up  by 
four  armed  men  on  the  canal 
road  between  Zoar  and  Zoar 
Station  and  robbed  of  all  his 
money.  Poor  Leo!  He  must 
have  felt  as  bad  as  when  his 
corps  was  routed  at  Chancel- 
lorsville  by  the  Rebels. 

Barbara  Angele,  a domestic 
in  the  family  of  Adam  Kuem- 
merle,  died  Dec.  26th,  1895. 


58 


THE  NUGITNA. 


VoL  L Zoar,  Ohio,  January  27,  1896,  No.  2, 


COMMUNISM  — HUMBUGISM I 

The  second  end  for  which  the  Society  was  established  is: 
“ To  plant  and  establish  the  Spirit  of  Love  as  the  bond  of  peace 
and  unity.”  The  second  end  is  closely  related  to  the  first  and, 
like  it,  rests  chiefly  on  religious  principles.  It  is  so  easy  to  form 
fundamental  principles  for  others  to  observe  ; but  to  live  accord- 
ing to  them  ourselves,  is  quite  different.  The  pioneers  of  this 
settlement  had  originally  no  inclination  to  establish  Communism, 
but  simply  to  find  a home  where  they  could,  without  molesta- 
tion, live  according  to  their  dogma.  When  the  first  settlers 
came  in  1817,  all  was  still  a wilderness,  the  first  winter  was  very 
severe,  and  they  suffered  great  hardships.  Among  the  settlers 
were  many  who  were  not  able  to  earn  a living.  Since  they  left 
Germany  for  the  purpose  of  religious  freedom,  the  able-bodied 
were  in  honor  bound  to  aid  the  feeble.  After  a time  the  old, 
infirm,  feeble  and  others  who  were  too  lazy  to  work  saw  that 
this  could  not  last  forever,  and  that  as  soon  as  the  religious 
scruples  exerted  less  influence,  they  would  be  neglected  and  fare 
badly.  They  were  the  ones  who  began  to  agitate  the  Commun- 
istic idea.  Said  they,  “We  are  one  in  religious  belief,  let  us  be 
one  in  rank  and  fortune.”  The  idea  was  worked  up  until  those 
in  comfortable  circumstances  — they  were  the  minority — had  no 
choice  but  to  join  or  to  be  considered  renegades. 

Mr.  J.  Bimeler,  “ Old  Bimeler  ” as  we  call  him,  opposed  the 


59 


THE  NUGTTNA. 


Communistic  movement  from  the  first,  and  was  the  last  man  to 
give  his  consent.  “ Old  ” Bimeler  was  the  Spiritual  head  of  the 
Separatists  and,  having  joined  the  Society,  it  was  mainly  through 
his  influence,  and  the  then  existing  circumstances  that  the  Spirit 
of  lyove  was  kept  alive.  The  Society  prospered  while  he  lived. 
Bimeler  saw  clearly  where  Communism  would  lead  to ; when  we 
read  his  sermons  we  find  grave  doubts  expressed  regarding  the 
stability  of  Communism,  and  the  wisdom  of  establishing  this 
Society.  He  was  right!  Where  is  the  “Spirit  of  Love”  now 
Where  is  the  bond  of  peace  and  unity  ? Where  are  the  planters 
and  fosterers  of  this  Spirit?  Gone,  forever!  The  “Spirit  of 
Love,”  as  we  look  at  it,  is  embodied  in  the  “ Golden  Rule,”  viz.: 
“ Love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself.”  It  appears,  however,  that  the 
majority  interpret  it  thus:  “Love  thyself  and  slander  thy 
neighbor.”  All  the  simplicity  which  the  founders  held  dear  has 
given  place  to  extravagance  and  pomposity.  And  “thereby 
hangs  a tale ! ” The  founders  were  really  devout  believers,  not 
only  in  word  but  in  deed  also.  But  we  who  are  believers  in 
form  only,  who  not  only  not  believe  but  ridicule  the  most  sacred 
of  our  ancestors’  teachings,  can’t  establish  this  “Spirit”  as 
Communists.  None  can  deny  that  we  don’t  believe  the  religious 
doctrines  of  our  fathers  any  more.  You  may,  perhaps,  say  “ O, 
yes!  we  believe.”  But  where  are  your  deeds  to  prove  it.  NoW; 
if  we  are  renegades,  or  in  other  words,  fell  off  from  the  doctrine 
of  religion,  why  not  sever  the  political  bands  which  tie  us  to  the 
Society.  Shall  we  continue  to  be  Communists? 


60 


THE  NUGITNA. 


THE  NUGITNA 

Is  published  every  four  weeks.  Its 
aim  is  to  secure  to  mem- 
bers of 

THE  ZOAR  SOCIETY 

the  right  to  withdraw  therefrom, 
and  to  receive  a proper  share 
of  the  Society’s  property. 

TERMS: 

Local  subscribers,  per  copy,  5 cents ; 
per  year,  50  cents.  By  mail, 
per  copy,  10  cents ; per 
year,  $ 1.00. 

LEVI  BIMELER, 

Editor  and  Publisher,  Zoar,  Ohio. 


COMMENTS. 

The  appearance  of  the  first 
number  of  the  “ Nugitna  ” 
created  quite  an  excitement. 
Various  were  the  remarks  and 
opinions  expressed  by  different 
members  of  the  Society.  Some 
were  mad,  others  shook  their 
heads,  and  still  others  were 
glad.  The  editor  has,  person- 
ally, heard  only  a few  opinions 
expressed,  but  is,  nevertheless, 
well  informed  regarding  the 
prevailing  opinions.  The  first 


week  after  the  publication  of 
‘ ‘ The  Nugitna  ” there  was  some 
strong  talk.  Some  went  so  far 
as  to  express  themselves  thus  : 
This  act  is  enough  to  expel  the 
publisher  from  the  Society ; but 
when  the  cool,  second  thought 
came,  the  impracticability  of 
such  expulsion  made  itself 
manifest.  This  “second 
thought”  is  a great  blessing. 
“Expel  him”  is  more  easily 
said  than  done.  The  U.  S.  Con- 
stitution guarantees  freedom  of 
speech  and  press.  We  avail 
ourselves  of  this  guarantee  for 
a good  purpose.  “The  Nu- 
gitna” created  more  stir  than 
anything  we  can  think  of  in 
the  history  of  this  Society  (ex- 
cept perhaps  the  circulation  of 
a petition  in  the  year  1850-4, 
for  the  purpose  of  throwing 
the  trustees,  Ackerman  and 
Sylvan  from  office  and  putting 
the  originators  of  the  petition 
in  their  place).  We  can’t  see 


Cl 


THE  NUGITNA. 


why  the  “Nugitna”  should 
disturb  our  affairs.  We  are 
not  seeking  to  throw  anybody 
from  and  putting  ourselves  in 
the  place  as  those  petitioners  in 
the  early  fifties.  No ! we  simply 
desire  that  receding  members 
shall  receive  a proper  share  of 


the  Society’s  property.  If  we 
deem  it  necessary  we  will  pub- 
lish the  petition  mentioned 
above  and  the  names  connected 
with  it. 

“All  is  quiet  on  the  Poto- 
mac.” 


62 


THE  NUGITNA. 


VoL  L Zoar,  Ohio,  February  24,  1896,  No,  3, 


COMMUNISM  - DESPOTISM* 

The  3rd  end  for  which  the  Society  was  instituted  is  “To 
unite  our  various  individual  interests  into  one  common  stock.” 
This,  like  the  preceding  two  rests  on  Religion,  being  a modifi- 
cation of  the  22nd  verse,  18th  chapter  of  St.  Tuke.  Living  up 
to  this  end  required  very  little  self-denial  of  our  forefathers  as 
the  majority  possessed  nothing  but  what  they  carried  on  their 
backs.  The  few  who  were  in  possession  of  money  had  no  chance 
to  spend  it.  The  circumstances  then  and  now  are  widely  differ- 
ent. The  Pioneers  had  absolutely  no  intercourse  with  the  out- 
side world,  except  a few  who  were  entrusted  with  the  conveyance 
of  goods  and  produce  to,  and  from  Philadelphia,  Pa.  So  you 
see,  that  the  money  one  might  have  did  him  no  particle  of  good. 
He  could  not  buy  anything  if  he  wanted  to.  There  was  equality 
of  fortune  among  the  first  settlers.  But  let  us  look  at  the  con- 
ditions of  things  as  they  exist  now.  Is  there  a union  of  individ- 
ual interests  now?  Do  we  contribute  every  thing  into  one  com- 
mon stock?  Has  not  the  individual  interest  gained  supremacy 
over  the  general  interest?  We  tell  you  that  the  individual  in- 
terest is  the  primary  and  the  general  interest  the  secondary  object 
from  the  preacher  down  to  the  lowliest,  with  only  a few  excep- 
tions. All  this  has  been  brought  about  by  time,  intercourse  with 
the  outside  world,  and  last,  but  not  least,  our  Public  Schools. 
The  state  of  affairs  now  existing  is  natural  and  in  accordance 


63 


THE  NUGITNA. 


with  the  laws  of  human  nature.  The  present  generation  sees 
too  clearly  that  a favored  few  enjoy  all  the  comforts  and  luxuries 
that  money  can  buy,  while  they  must  be  satisfied  with  what  is 
meted  out  to  them.  This  went  well  thirty  years  ago,  when  the 
members  of  the  Society,  w^ere  kept  in  ignorance  of  the  true  state 
of  things,  when  the  members  did  not  dare  to  think  contrary  to 
prevailing  customs,  not  to  speak  of  voicing  them,  for  fear  of  ex- 
pulsion from  the  Society.  There  has  always  been,  and  to  a 
certain  extent  still  is  a tendency  to  keep  the  affairs  of  the  Society 
from  the  knowledge  of  the  members.  Is  it  because  those  in 
ofi&ce  are  the  wise  men  of  the  Society?  Or,  are  the  members  too 
ignorant  to  be  trusted  with  the  knowledge  of  the  Society’s  affairs. 
Which? 

The  secret  of  the  stability  of  the  Society  lay  in  its  Children’s 
Institution.  In  the  early  history  of  Zoar,  every  child  when  it 
had  attained  to  the  age  of  three  years  was  taken  away  from  the 
parents  into  the  Society  Children’s  Institution  and  left  to  the 
tender  (?)  mercies  of  its  keepers.  In  some  future  issue  we  will 
illuminate  said  Institution. 

If  “Old”  Ackerman  had  done  no  other  good  deed  but  to  re- 
fuse to  send  his  child  to  this  Institution,  he  has,  by  that  alone, 
richly  earned  the  love  and  esteem  of  the  members  which  he  pos- 
sessed. Hold  sacred  the  relation  of  parent  to  child. 


64 


A rjoNJCKR  c(jrj'AGi-: 


THE  NUGITNA. 


THE  NUGITNA 

Is  published  every  four  weeks.  Its 
aim  is  to  secure  to  mem- 
bers of 

THE  ZOAR  SOCIETY 

the  right  to  withdraw  therefrom, 
and  to  receive  a proper  share 
of  the  Society’s  property. 

TERMS: 

Local  subscribers,  per  copy,  5 cents ; 
per  year,  50  cents.  By  mail, 
per  copy,  10  cents ; per 
year,  $1.00. 

LEVI  BIMELER, 

Editor  and  Publisher,  Zoar,  Ohio* 


COMMENTS. 

The  opposition  which  “ The 
Nugitna  ” has  encountered  con- 
tinues. The  authorities  are 
making  strenuous  efforts  to 
compel  the  publisher  to  quit 
the  business.  He  said  that  the 
'‘The  Nugitna”  would  not  be 
issued  any  more  if  the  gross 
violations  of  our  by-laws,  now 
existing  to  the  full  knowledge 
of  the  authorities,  vrere  also 
abated. 

However,  an  amicable  settle- 
ment of  the  difficulties  may  yet 
be  reached;  in  this  case  “The 
Nugitna”  will  be  a thing  of 
the  past.  There  are  some  sec- 


tions of  our  by-laws  which  are 
unjust,  unfair  and  unconstitu- 
tional . ‘ ‘ The  N ugitna  ’ ’ wants 

to  educate  the  members  of  the 
Society  to  see  that  our  by-laws 
need  revision.  To  bring  them 
to  look  upon  Communism  as 
not  consistent  with  modern  civ- 
ilization ; and  to  inculcate  a 
spirit  which  holds  sacred  the 
rights  of  individual  members 
to  obtain  and  hold  private 
property.  The  early  history  of 
Jamestown,  Va.,  shows  that 
Communism  is  a failure.  Those 
settlers  tried  the  experiment 
but  gave  it  up  within  five  years. 
Is  it  a wonder  then,  that  we, 
living  in  the  rich  State  of  Ohio, 
consider  it  a failure,  too?  Com- 
munism puts  a premium  on 
idleness,  and  discounts  dili- 
gence. There  is  no  reward  for 
the  industrious,  and  no  punish- 
ment for  the  idle.  “Nimms 
easy  und  lasz  fuenfe  grad  sein,’* 
is  appropriate  for  Communists. 

TOWN  TOPICS. 

We  have  the  sad  duty  to  an- 
nounce the  demise  of  one  of 
our  members.  The  deceased 
“Christina  Peterman,”  was  the 
the  first  child  born  in  Zoar. 
At  the  time  of  her  birth  the 


5 


65 


THE  NUGITNA. 


Zoar  Society  did  not  exist  yet. 
She  was  born  July,  1818,  in  a 
rough  log  cabin,  and  attained 
to  the  age  of  77  years.  Her 
parents  were  very  wealthy  and 
when  Communism  was  estab- 
lished they  gave  all  into  the 
common  fund.  In  her  the  So- 
ciety loses  one  of  its  truest 
members.  There  is  not  a soul 
in  Zoar  who  can  say  ill  of  her, 
but  one  and  all  praise  her  kind- 
ness and  devotion.  The  words 
of  Christ  may  well  be  applied : 
“Blessed  are  the  meek:  for 
they  shall  inherit  the  earth. 
Blessed  are  the  pure  in  heart : 
for  they  shall  see  God.  Bles- 
sed are  the  peacemakers:  for 
they  shall  be  called  the  children 
of  God.” 

May  she  rest  in  peace  for 
evermore. 

COUNCIL  PROCEEDINGS. 

Feb.  10th,  1896.  Council 
met  in  regular  session  with  all 
the  members  present.  Min- 
utes of  the  previous  meeting 
were  read  and  approved.  Sev- 


eral subjects  were  discussed  but 
no  action  was  taken,  and  on 
motion  of  Mr.  Beuter,  the 
Council  adjourned. 

The  activity  in  our  lumber 
industry  continues.  It  is  some- 
what difl5cult  to  haul  the  lum- 
ber owing  to  the  bad  condition 
of  the  roads. 

The  Pres,  of  the  Lawrence 
Tp.  school  board,  Mr.  D.  Ben- 
der, visited  our  schools.  Mr. 
Bender  is  well  qualified  for  his 
ofl&ce. 

The  anniversary  of  the  birth 
of  Washington  was  fittingly 
celebrated  by  our  schools.  The 
primary  room  was  beautifully 
decorated  with  bunting  and 
flags.  Both  schools  met  in. 
said  room  and  the  exercises 
were  opened  with  the  song 
“America.”  Then  followed 
dialogues,  speeches,  biogra- 
phies, drills.  Many  household- 
ers were  present  and  joined  in 
the  concluding  song : Red> 
White  and  Blue. 


66 


THE  NUGITNA. 


VoL  /.  Zoar,  Ohio,  March  23,  1896.  No.  4. 


COMMUNISM — SOaALISM. 

Communism  may  be  a good  thing  in  the  interior  of  Africa, 
but  in  the  center  of  the  highly  civilized  state  of  Ohio  it  is  an 
outrage.  Communism,  as  practicably  demonstrated  by  the  Zoar 
Society,  abolishes  all  distinctions  of  rank  and  of  fortune.  Any 
casual  visitor  to  Zoar  will  undoubtedly  notice  the  lack  of  rev- 
erence of  inferiors  to  their  superiors  in  age;  attainments,  or 
otherwise.  This  very  lack  of  reverence  is  a certain  means  of 
downfall  of  all  Communistic  societies.  The  smallest  child  is  put 
on  a level  with  the  adult,  socially,  the  toper  with  the  sober,  the 
indolent  with  the  diligent.  What  other  can  be  expected  from 
such  a social  order  of  things,  but  in  the  end  contentions  and 
ruin.  And  as  to  the  abolition  of  fortune  distinctions.  Phew!  — 
Who  has  not  observed  the  great  difference  between  high  and  low 
of  the  Zoar  Society?  Only  fools,  religious  bigots  or  self-con- 
ceited  ones  are  so  blind  to  believe  there  is  no  difference  in  rank 
and  fortune.  Tell  me,  thou  Thomas,  why  the  common  laborer 
remains  laborer,  and  the  aristocrat  remains  aristocrat.  Is  it  be- 
cause all  distinction  of  rank  and  fortune  have  been  abolished 
from  amongst  us  ? What  fools  we  are  to  labor  on  for  the  benefit 
of  a few  favored  ones;  to  keep  the  Don  Juans  in  their  positions 
of  ease,  luxury  and  revelry.  The  common  laborer  of  any  Com- 


67 


THE  NUGITNA. 


munistic  Society  is  a mere  slave.  He  must  do  the  work  assigned 
him ; eat  and  drink  what  is  given  him ; wear  what  is  furnished 
him  and  dwell  in  the  house  assigned  him,  all  without  murmur- 
ing; while  other  members  who  are  more  favorably  situated,  buy 
for  themselves  what  they  want,  although  the  principles  of  Com- 
munism abolish  all  distinction  of  rank  and  of  fortune.  This 
statement  may  easily  be  verified  by  a few  days  sojourn  in  Zoar. 
This  is  Practical  Communism.  Theorists  may  dream  of  a golden 
time  when  the  Communism  shall  pervade  this  whole  earth,  but 
let  them  go  to  a Communistic  Society  and  fill  the  place  of  a com- 
mon laborer  and  they  will  awake  to  the  fact  that  Purgatory  is  a 
blessing  compared  with  their  position.  Communism  is  a curse 
to  any  and  all  communities  where  it  is  established.  It  deadens 
all  push,  energy  and  ambition.  It  puts  a premium  on  idleness 
and  unfits  a person  for  the  battle  with  the  world  for  an  existence 
when  the  time  comes  in  which  he  will  be  thrown  on  his  own  re- 
sources, which  will  sooner  or  later,  come  to  all  members  of  Com- 
munistic Societies.  There  is  no  equality  of  rank  and  fortune  in 
Communistic  Societies  nor  any  other  intelligent  community. 

Note. — This  number  (4)  of  the  Nugitna  was  only  written  as  far  as 
here  quoted  and  was  never  printed  nor  given  to  the  public. — B.  O.  R. 


68 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society, 


69 


distribution  of  the  property. 

The  Nugitna  was  premature  in  its  pronounced  views.  Like 
all  reform  organs  it  had  to  be  radical  to  receive  recognition. 
Yet  the  belief  Vwas  well  lodged  and  growing  with  many  that 
the  communistic  feature  of  the  Society  had  survived  its  use- 
fulness. The  idea  of  dissolution  had  become  food  for  thought 
and  topic  for  discussion.  Leading  minds  and  officials  among^ 
the  Zoarites  recognized  the  inevitable  approach  of  the  end. 
Debts  were  increasing,  revenues  decreasing  and  perhaps  financial 
failure  was  only  a question  of  time.  The  matter  was  gradually 
brought  to  the  notice  of  the  members  of  the  Society,  and  cul- 
minated in  a meeting  held  in  early  part  of  January,  1898,  when 
the  momentous  question  was  formally  broached  and  the  con- 
clusion reached  that  it  was  best,  if  not  imperative,  that  a division’ 
of  the  property  be  made.  One  who  was  present  at  that  meeting 
related  to  me  its  affecting  and  amusing  incidents.  It  was  not 
without  its  pathetic  scenes.  To  many  it  was  like  the  separation, 
after  a life  journey  as  one  family.  The  incomprehension  of 
many  of  the  material  interests  involved  in  this  action,  and  their 
inability  to  appreciate  the  main  issues  to  be  considered,  was. 
illustrated  in  the  fact  that  the  chief  difficulty  to  be  encountered,, 
in  the  minds  of  several,  was  the  equitable  disposal  of  the  stoves, 
used  in  common  in  many  instances  by  two  families  who  occu- 
pied adjoining  rooms,  and  shared  one  kitchen.  Who  would  get 
the  stove?  And  how  would  they  separate  the  kitchen?  But 
these  problems  were  finally  temporarily  waived  or  satisfac- 
torily settled  and  a formal  agreement  was  reached,  binding  all 
to  the  decision  to  divide  the  property  upon  an  equitable  basis. 
On  March  loth,  1898,  the  members  signed  a written  compact^ 
whereby  the  members  ''selected  and  appointed  Samuel  Foltz,, 
Henry  S.  Fisher  and  William  Becker,  commissioners  to  make 
said  partition  and  division  and  to  designate  in  their  report  and 
statement  by  numbers  and  on  a plat  to  be  prepared  by  George 
E.  Hayward,  the  Surveyor  selected  by  us,  the  parts  and  portions 
of  said  real  estate  which  each  of  us  is  to  receive  as  our  re- 


70 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society. 


spective  shares  and  allotments. These  Commissioners  met 
May  2,  1898,  and  the  work  of  surveying  and  appraising  was 
begun  May  12th  following.  There  were  at  this  time  two  hun- 
dred and  twenty-two  people,  adults  and  children,  in  the  Zoar 
Society.  There  were  one  hundred  and  thirty-six  members 
entitled  to  one  equal  share  each,  including  several  (eight  or 
ten)  probationist  candidates,  who  were  eligible  to  membership 
by  birth,  and  life  in  the  Society,  and  it  was  agreed  to  pacify 
these  ‘‘could  be’^  members,  that  they  should  receive  each  a 
full  share.  The  appraisement  and  surveying  was  in  process 
at  the  time  of  my  first  visit.  The  value  of  the  property  of  the 
Society  at  this  time  was  of  course  largely  a matter  of 
conjecture.  The  real  estate  consisted  in  round  numbers  of  seven 
thousand  three  hundred  acres.  This,  as  I learned  by  con- 
sulting the  records  of  the  County  Auditor,  was  placed  upon  the 
tax  duplicate  at  $340,820.00.  The  personal  property  was  listed 
at  $16,250.00.  The  division  and  distribution  of  the  property 
was  finally  accomplished  in  the  fall  of  1898.  The  Society  before 
the  division,  made  a contract  of  sale  of  the  timber  upon  their 
lands.  This  sale  brought  the  Society  some  $15,000.00  in  ready 
money  or  short  time  notes.  There  was  also  a sale  of  all  the 
personal  property  belonging  to  the  Society ; cattle,  horses,  farm- 
ing appliances,  etc.  The  funds  realized  from  these,  timber  and 
personal  property  sales,  were  available  for  the  discharge  of  the 
debts  of  the  Society,  the  costs  of  the  division  of  the  property 
and  proposed  later  dissolution  of  the  corporation.  A cash  divi- 
dend was  made  to  the  members  of  the  Society  — amounting  to 
some  $200.00  per  member,  with  the  understanding  that  another 
dividend  would  probably  be  made  when  the  timber  notes  were 
paid  and  all  final  expenses  provided  for.  The  farm  lands  were 
apportioned  into  the  requisite  number  of  lots  according  to  the 
appraised  value  of  respective  sections.  That  is,  had  the  land 
been  uniform  in  value  each  distributee  would  have  received  some 
fifty  odd  acres.  But  as  the  land  varied  greatly  in  its  fertility, 
accessibility,  etc.,  the  survey,  appraisal  and  division  produced  al- 


“ See  deed  of  realty  on  pp.  90-92.  The  commissioners  chosen  were 
not  members  of  the  Society. 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society . 


71 


lotments  of  unequal  number  of  acres,  but  supposed  equality  of 
value.  Each  member  got  an  equal  amount  of  cash  and  a sec- 
tion of  farm  land  and  a home  or  property  in  the  village. 
The  hotel,  for  instance,  represented  several  shares  and  was  as- 
signed to  the  landlord  and  the  members  of  his  family  entitled 
to  a share  each.  The  allotments  were  assigned  by  the  Com- 
missioners. The  members  of  the  Society  had  no  choice.  They 
were  bound  to  accept  what  was  apportioned  to  them.  The 
natural  plan  was  followed  as  far  as  practicable,  of  assigning  to 
each  the  property,  or  a portion  of  it,  which  he  had  occupied  or 
employed  in  his  vocation ; the  mill  to  the  miller ; his  shop  to 
the  blacksmith,  the  garden  to  the  florist,  and  so  on. 

On  September  29,  1898,  the  deed,  by  the  Society  of  Separa- 
tists of  Zoar,  (incorporated)  in  whose  title  the  lands  stood,  to 
the  various  individual  distributees  was  signed  and  acknowledged 
at  Zoar  and  on  October  13,  1898,  it  was  recorded  in  the  Re- 
corder’s office.  New  Philadelphia,  Tuscarawas  county,  Ohio. 
This  interesting  document  by  which  all  pieces  of  property  were, 
granted  and  received  in  one  deed,  is  set  out  in  full  in  the  latter 
part  of  this  article. 

The  exact  value  of  the  .property  which  each  recipient  mem- 
ber (136  in  all)  obtained,  cannot  be  given.  Several  members 
informed  me  it  would  be  in  the  vicinity  of  $2,500.  Taking  the 
entire  Zoar  (Society)  population  (222)  and  averaging  the  ag- 
gregate wealth,  it  approximates  $1,500  per  capita.  This  rep- 
resents the  net  result  of  three  generations  of  communistic  la- 
bor and  thrift.  The  average  wealth  per  capita  in  the  United 
States  is  now  regarded  as  not  less  than  $1,000.  It  is  left  to 
the  student  of  sociology  to  speculate  upon  the  problem  whether 
Zoar  communism  paid  its  members  (financially)  or  not. 

This  action  of  distribution  of  course  annulled  and  abolished 
the  communistic  feature  of  the  Society.  The  municipal  incor- 
poration of  the  village  and  the  incorporated  Society  of  Zoar  re- 
main intact.^^  The  latter  incorporation  will  continue  until  all  the 
financial  affairs  of  the  Society  are  adjusted,  and  all  litigation  is 


2®  At  the  date  of  this  article,  July  1899. 


72 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society. 


at  an  end.^^  The  stockholders  have  merely  divided  and  come 
into  possession,  separately  and  personally,  of  what  was  common 
property.  The  legal  form  of  the  corporation  yet  exists,  its  af- 
fairs not  having  been  completely  closed  up.  There  are  still  ob- 
ligations to  meet  and  claims  to  collect.  The  apportionment  of 
the  corporate  property  was  the  withdrawal  and  appropriation 
in  name  and  title  by  the  individual  members  of  the  Society  of  their 
undivided  and  undetermined  personal  shares.  When  all  further 
necessary  details  are  arranged  the  corporate  organization,  as 
such,  will  be  legally  dissolved  and  the  Separatist  Society  of  Zoar 
will  be  no  more. 

AFTER  VIEW  OF  ZOAR. 

In  the  summer  of  1899  the  writer  made  a second  visit  to 
Zoar  with  the  purpose  of  observing  how  the  good  Zoarites  were 
getting  on  under  the  new  dispensation.  “Mine  host”  of  old 
still  ran  the  hotel  and  the  first  evidence  of  the  new  era  was  the 
telephone  closet  in  the  hall  with  long  distance  telephone  facili- 
ties. Zoar  was  now  on  the  electric  current,  in  instant  touch 
with  all  the  world.  Near  by  on  the  wall  hung  a tutti-frutti  chew- 
ing gum  slot  machine.  Surely  Zoar  was  fully  up  to  date.  Op- 
posite the  hotel,  across  the  street,  was  an  ice  cream  parlor  in 
full,  though  not  very  brisk,  blast.  It  was  difficult  to  imagine 
the  staid  and  sober  Zoarites  eating  ice  cream  and  chewing  gum, 
but  they  were.  The  village  had  taken  on  a new  and  modern 
aspect.  The  streets  had  been  named.  The  houses  had,  in  many 
cases,  been  repaired  and  more  or  less  renovated.  The  roofs  had 
been  renewed  and  here  and  there  slate  roofs  had  superseded  the 
antique  tiles  or  the  moss  grown  shingles.  Several  dwellings 


After  the  distribution  of  the  property  suit  was  brought  in  the  courts 
of  Tuscarawas  county,  against  the  incorporated  Society  of  Zoar,  by  a for- 
mer member  (Mrs.  Paulina  Beiter),  a great  granddaughter  of  the  original 
Bimeler,  for  a distributive  share.  Other  ex-members  set  up  claims  in 
cross-petitions.  The  legal  claim  was  that  as  the  Society  had  been  declared, 
in  previous  suits,  not  a perpetuity,  then  the  dissolution  of  the  Society 
worked  a reversion  of  the  property  to  its  original  holders  and  they  or  their 
heirs  were  entitled  to  recognition.  This  suit  was  lost,  by  the  claimants,  in 
the  Common  Pleas  and  Circuit  Courts.  It  is  not  known  whether  it  will  be 
carried  to  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  State. 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society. 


73 


had  donned  new  chimneys  of  bright  yellow  brick.  On  the 
side  street  near  the  hotel,  was  a brand  new  modern  frame  dwell- 
ing, the  first,  and  thus  far  the  only  one  in  town,  built  in  modern 
style  and  plan  and  with  a basement  furnace,  which  was  a novelty 
to  the  natives.  Without  doubt,  as  the  street  phrase  is,  Zoar 
“was  getting  a move  on  itself.”  Even  domestic  life  was  rapidly 
assuming  phases  of  our  most  advanced  city  civilization, 
for  since  the  change  from  communism,  and  for  the  first 
time  in  all  the  history  of  Zoar,  a divorce  had  been  applied  for  by 
both  partners  after  a life-long  sharing  of  joys  and  sorrows. 
The  Doctor  had  deserted  his  old  quarters  and  built  a spruce 
little  convenient  two  room  office.  Even  his  drugs  and  bottles 
were  new  and  so  was  his  practice,  in  manner  and  in  field.  “No 
pent  up  Utica  contracted  his  powers”  now,  his  skill  extended  to 
the  farmers  for  miles  around  and  he  was  continually  “on  the 
go.”  A card  and  revolving  hand  in  the  window  indicated  his 
absence  and  the  hour  of  his  return.  The  good  doctor  himself 
seemed  to  have  renewed  his  youth  and  taken  a fresh  start  in  his 
profession. 

The  former  quarters  of  the  genial  shoemaker  and  his  assist- 
ants were  occupied  as  dwelling  rooms,  and  it  was  rumored  that  a 
foreign  brewer  was  negotiating  for  the  building  for  a “sample 
room.”  The  cheery  master  cobbler  had  established  himself  in 
the  ancient  log  church  which  dated  back  to  the  early  years  of 
the  colony,  and  was  probably  the  oldest  structure  in  the 
village,  and  for  many  years  had  been  used  as  storage  room. 
He  told  me  one  of  his  two  assistants  had  abandoned  the  leather 
bench  for  the  farmer’s  plow.  The  other  “help  hand”  had  opened 
a new  and  rival  establishment.  It  was  the  first,  and  indeed, 
the  only  case  of  competition  ever  experienced  in  Zoar. 

“There’s  hardly  enough  for  two  shops,”  the  shoemaker  said, 
“but  I guess  I’ll  find  something  to  do,”  he  added  in  a serious  tone 
that  sounded  like  a refrain  of  regret  over  the  “sure  support”  days 
gone  by.  The  machinist  was  surveying  his  somewhat  the  “worse 
for  wear”  plant,  and  to  my  inquiry  if  all  (Zoarites)  were  now 
happy,  he  replied  cautiously,  “Some,  not  all.”  I did  not  press 
the  question  but  the  manner  of  his  answer  led  to  the  inference 
that  he  belonged  to  the  “not  all”  class.  The  miller  was  em- 


74 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society. 


phatic  in  his  approval  of  the  “new  way.”  With  energy  and  en- 
thusiasm he  had  improved  the  mill,  put  in  several  hundred  dollars 
in  repairs  and  modern  machinery  and  exultantly  showed  me  the 
“finest  flour  in  the  market.”  An  hour  or  so  before  breakfast  I 
strolled  into  the  blacksmith  shop  and  found  the  stalwart  smithy 
pumping  the  bellows  with  one  giant  bare  arm  and  with  the 
other  holding  a horseshoe,  with  long  nippers,  in  the  glowing 
forge.  “Well,  how  do  you  take  the  new  deal?”  He  hesitated  a 
moment,  then  jabbed  the  iron  rather  vigorously  in  the  hot  coals 
and  said,  “O,  pretty  well ; Fm  my  own  boss  now  but  I have  to 
work  harder.” 

“Is  everybody  pleased?” 

“Some  was  satisfied  and  some  was  ‘kicking’  a little,”  he 
replied  in  terse  but  slang  terms.  The  huge  horse  stables,  cow 
stable  and  sheep  stable  were  like  great  banquet  halls  deserted. 
At  the  entrance  of  the  cow  stable  mending  the  whippletree  of 
“his”  wagon  was  my  old  friend  the  jester  and  “boss”  of  the 
mustered  out,  milk  brigade.  He  greeted  me  cheerily  and  to  the 
invariable  inquiry  said,  “Well,  I like  it  pretty  good  but  I have 
to  work  just  as  much  as  before.  No,  I got  not  the  whole  stable, 
dere  was  six  shares  in  the  stable,  I gets  one  and  my  home  and 
some  farm.  The  farm  was  pretty  fair  but  I likes  to  sell  out  and 
go  away.” 

“You  don’t  have  a hundred  cows  to  look  after  now?” 

“No,  everybody  has  der  own  cow  or  buys  de  milk  already* 
Yes,  you  bet,  dey  all  has  to  hustle  now,  dat  was  sure.” 

His  desire  to  sell  and  get  away  was  not  exceptional.  There 
were  several  such,  particularly  among  those  who  had  no  specific 
employment  and  were  suddenly  thrown  upon  their  newly  acquired 
farms  for  a living.  Very  few  of  them  had  been  trained  in  any  craft 
or  trade  and  those  who  had  mostly  worked  upon  the  farm  lands 
had  done  so  in  a mechanical  or  even  menial  manner,  under 
guidance  and  direction  and  with  learning  but  little  knowledge 
of  the  science  or  principles  of  agriculture.  This  was  a weakness 
of  the  communistic  system.  The  paternalism  in  the  government 
was  a hindrance  to  thinking  as  well  as  to  acting  for  oneself. 

“ For  just  experience  tells,  in  every  soil, 

That  those  that  think  must  govern  those  that  toil.” 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society, 


75 


It  had  made  children  of  men  and  women.  It  would  be  difficult 
if  not  quite  impossible  for  the  older  ones  to  “pull  up  stakes”  and 
move  away.  Some  of  them,  not  equal  to  the  labors  of  the  field, 
proposed  to  rent  their  farms  or  have  them  worked  on  shares. 
A few  of  the  younger  ones  had  already  left  the  village  to  seek 
their  fortunes  elsewhere.  In  some  cases  the  new  regime  had 
brought  back  a wandering  one.  My  former  barber  no  longer 
presided  at  the  chair,  but  in  his  stead  was  installed  a young  man 
of  similar  age.  He  proved  to  be  a Zoarite  who,  not  content 
with  the  prospects  of  the  future,  had  left  home  a few  years  be- 
fore and  plied  his  trade  in  the  large  cities.  He  had  returned 
now  to  look  after  his  old  father  and  mother,  whom  the  new  status 
had  thrown  upon  their  own  exertions.  “I  thought  they  would 
need  me,  now,”  he  said  with  filial  affection,  and  no  doubt  they 
would.  He  was  sorry  he  had  left,  as,  if  he  had  remained,  he 
could  have  come  in  for  a “divy”,  as  he  expressed  it.  The  former 
barber  dropped  in  while  we  were  talking.  He  was  above  age 
at  the  time  of  the  distribution,  but  had  not  previously  become 
a full  member  of  the  Society,  though  born  and  raised  in  it.  He 
was,  however,  acknowledged  as  a probationist  member  and  re- 
ceived his  share,  like  some  others,  on  account  of  his  semi-  but 
legally  recognized  relation  to  the  community. 

One  of  the  most  significant  indications  of  the  re- 
turn by  the  relieved  people  to  the  normal  conditions  of  life  was 
the  keen  sense  of  delight  and  pride  with  which  they  used  the 
possessive  pronoun  and  spoke  of  their  “own”  possessions. 

“Is  that  your  house?”  I asked  two  or  three,  and  with  a 
contented  expression  that  would  fairly  beam  they  would  utter 
the  possessive  “mine.”  The  baker  and  his  wife  had  hung  over 
the  door  the  sign  “Bakery,”  and  had  converted  their  front  room 
into  a sale  shop  with  counters  and  cases,  the  latter  filled  with 
cookies  and  pies,  tidily  displayed  to  tempt  the  appetite.  As  a 
fellow  visitor  and  myself  stood  upon  the  porch  the  husband  of 
the  woman  drove  up  with  a new  buggy  and  dapper  horse. 
“Where  did  your  husband  get  that  fine  rig?”  I shall  never  for- 
get the  tone  of  self-satisfaction  with  which  she  promptly  replied, 
— “That  is  OURS  — we  bought  it.  Isn’t  it  nice  to  have  your  own 
horse?”  This  innate  propensity  for  personal  proprietorship  is 


76 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society. 


a factor  in  human  nature  that  the  advocate  of  universal  commun- 
ism fails  to  properly  appreciate  or  consider.  Some  power  will 
have  to  mould  over  mankind  before  it  will  yield  the  desire  to 
possess  the  earth  or  at  least  as  much  of  it  as  he  can  earn  or  in- 
herit. As  Josh  Billings  has  philosophically  remarked,  “there  is 
still  a great  deal  of  human  nature  in  mankind.” 

The  survey,  appraisal  and  successful  distribution  of  the 
property  was  a delicate  and  difficult  work.  There  were  so  many 
parties  to  be  satisfied  and  such  a diversity  in  the  nature  of  the 
property  to  be  divided.  Much  praise  is  due  the  commissioners, 
Messrs.  Foltz,  Fisher  and  Becker ; the  Society’s  attorneys,  Messrs. 
Neely  and  Patrick ; the  trustees  of  the  Society,  Joseph  Breymaier, 
Christian  Ruof,  Sr.,  and  John  Bimeler,  and  more  than  to  any 
other  one,  Mr.  Louis  Zimmerman,  the  Secretary  and  Treasurer 
of  the  Society.28 

The  grounds  and  buildings  of  the  brick  church  were  reserved 
in  the  apportionment  of  the  realty  and  set  aside  to  the  village 
corporation  for  the  public  use.  But  now  a grave  and  singular 
question  arose.  There  was  no  church  organization.^^  To  whom 
or  what  organization  should  the  church  property  be  devoted? 
Ministers  of  some  of  the  leading  denominations,  both  Evan- 
gelical and  otherwise,  sought  to  invade  the  community  and  secure 


^ Mr.  Louis  Zimmermann  was  assistant  secretary  and  treasurer  of  the 
Society  from  1882  to  1889  and  secretary  and  treasurer  from  the  latter  date 
to  the  present  time.  He  has  therefore  had  practically  the  control  and  man- 
agement of  the  commercial  and  financial  interests  of  the  Society  for  some 
seventeen  years.  In  that  position  and  particularly  in  the  work  of  closing 
up  the  affairs  of  the  Society,  he  has  displayed  marked  ability  and  tact.  All 
classes  in  the  Society  had  implicit  confidence  in  his  honesty  of  purpose, 
wisdom  of  action  and  his  fidelity  to  the  duties  entrusted  to  him.  His  grand- 
father, Louis  F.  Birk,  was  one  of  the  original  Zoar  emigrants  of  1817.  Mr, 
Zimmerman  was  thoroughly  loyal  to  the  Zoar  Society  and  its  aims  and  work, 
so  long  as  it  could  be  successful,  but  was  one  of  the  first  forced  to  the  con- 
clusion that  the  time  had  arrived  to  abandon  the  communistic  plan.  Mr. 
Zimmerman  was  for  many  years  the  manager  of  the  general  retail  store 
of  Zoar  and  at  the  distribution  he  and  Mr.  August  Kuecherer  received,  be- 
sides other  property,  the  store  as  their  portion.  Joseph  Bimeler  is  also  as- 
sociated in  the  management  of  this  store. 

^ It  has  been  stated  to  the  writer  that  the  Separatists,  as  a religious 
sect,  no  longer  exist  in  the  old  country. 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society. 


77 


for  their  respective  sects  the  field  apparently  left  open  for  some 
missionary  influence.  Several  of  the  ex-Zoarites,  if  that  expres- 
sion may  be  permitted,  highly  resented  the  imputation  that  they 
were  subjects  for  “conversion,”  or  that  they  were  fallow  ground 
for  orthodox  spiritual  seed.  As  one  of  the  members  said  to  me, 
“I  don't  see  why  we  are  not  as  good  as  some  of  the  people  who 
want  to  regenerate  us.”  “But,”  said  another,  “we  must  have 
some  kind  of  a religious  organization  and  after  awhile  some  of 
us  will  get  together  and  form  a church  society.”** 

In  1876  William  Alfred  Hinds  visited  the  Zoar  community  and 
gave  a very  interesting  account  of  the  religious  phase  of  the  village  life 
at  that  time.  We  quote  from  his  conversation  with  one  of  the  oldest 
members.  Jacob  Ackerman  was  then  acting  as  the  religious  leader,  he 
having  been  selected  to  that  informal  and  rather  nondescript  office  by 
the  Society.  Hinds  asked: 

“Did  Ackerman,  your  present  leader,  directly  succeed  Baumeler, 
your  first  leader?” 

“No.  Baumeler  died  August  27,  1853.  As  his  successor  we  unani- 
mously appointed  Jacob  Sylvan — a good  writer,  but  no  speaker.  Chris- 
tian Weebel  read  his  discourses  for  him.  After  Sylvan’s  death,  October 
13,  1862,  Weebel  took  the  spiritual  lead;  but  the  majority  of  the  mem- 
bers were  not  fully  satisfied,  and  in  1871  Jacob  Ackerman  was  appointed, 
he  being  the  oldest  trustee,  and  having  labored  hard  for  the  Society. 
We  desired  to  honor  him.” 

“What  peculiar  ceremonies  have  you?” 

“None  at  all.” 

“How  do  you  regard  the  Bible?” 

“We  believe  in  both  the  Old  and  New  Testament,  and  in  Christ 
as  the  Savior  of  the  world.” 

“What  great  objects  have  you  as  a Community?” 

“Our  object  is  to  get  into  heaven,  and  help  others  to  get  there.” 

“Do  you  expect  your  system  will  sometime  be  generally  accepted?” 

“I  formerly  believed  it  would  spread  all  over  the  world.  I thought 
every  body  would  come  into  Communistic  relations.  I believe  so  still, 
but  I don’t  know  how  far  our  particular  system  will  prevail.  In  heaven 
there  is  only  Communism,  and  why  should  it  not  be  our  aim  to  prepare 
ourselves  in  this  world  for  the  society  we  are  sure  to  enter  there?  If 
we  can  get  rid  of  our  wilfulness  and  selfishness  here,  there  is  so  much 
done  for  heaven.” 

“That  is  a good  point,  certainly;  but  haven’t  you  confidence  in  the 
perpetuity  of  your  Community?” 

“I  will  not  undertake  to  decide  the  question  of  its  perpetuity.  If 
God  wishes  to  have  it  continued  He  will  see  that  it  is  done.” 


78 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society. 


bimei^er’s  effective  influence. 

A study  of  the  constitution  of  the  Society  impresses  one  with 
the  ability  and  astuteness  displayed  in  its  provisions.  Xx  con- 
fers the  rights  of  equality  and  universal  democracy  *upon  the 
members  of  the  community  while  at  the  same  time  it  deftly,  and 
to  a cautious  degree,  institutes  a "‘one  man”  power.  This  latter 
feature  is  embodied  in  Article  III,  creating  the  office  and  defining 
the  scope  of  the  authority  of  an  ‘‘Agent  General.”  This  unique 
public  function  was  contrived  solely  for  the  benefit,  and  as  far 

“Joseph  Baumeler  was  a remarkable  man,  I judge?” 

“Yes;  when  he  was  our  leader  we  knew  everything  would  come  out 
all  right.  He  had  the  superintendence  of  our  business,  and  he  was  at 
the  same  time  our  preacher,  and  cared  for  the  spiritual  interest  of  the 
Community.  He  was  also  our  physician.  He  was,  indeed,  a remarkable 
man.” 

Jacob  Ackerman  is  so  sincere  that  he  frankly  admits  that  he  is  a little 
discouraged  about  the  future  of  Zoar — discouraged  because  the  younger 
generation  do  not  come  under  the  same  earnestness  that  controlled  the 
original  members.  They  fall  into  the  fashions  and  ways  of  the  world, 
and  will  not  brook  the  restraints  that  religious  Communism  requires. 
The  unfavorable  condition  of  Zoar  in  this  respect  may  well  excite  re- 
flection. Evidently  it  is  not  enough  that  a Community  had  a religious 
afflatus  and  intelligent,  earnest  men  at  its  beginning.  It  must  find  means 
to  keep  that  afflatus  alive  and  strong,  and  to  replace  its  founders,  as 
occasion  requires,  with  men  of  equal  intelligence  and  earnestness;  and 
to  this  end  ordinances  become  of  great  value. 

The  ordinances  of  the  Zoar  Community  are  few  and  weak.  ’ They 
have  nothing  answering  to  mutual  criticism,  and  no  meetings  except 
on  Sunday,  and  these  are  not  generally  attended,  and  are  not  of  a kind 
to  elicit  special  interest  or  enthusiasm.  I was  present  at  one  of  them. 
Not  more  than  one-third  of  the  members  were  there.  The  women  sat 
on  one  side,  the  men  on  the  other,  both  facing  the  desk,  from  which 
Jacob  Ackerman  read  one  of  the  discourses  of  Baumeler.  The  reading 
was  preceded  and  followed  by  the  singing  of  a hymn,  with  the  accom- 
paniment of  a small  organ.  No  one  except  Ackerman  said  a word;  and 
he  confined  himself  entirely  to  reading.  There  is  no  meeting,  I was 
informed,  in  which  all  take  part — where  all  hearts  flow  together  in  unity 
and  devotion.  Is  it  any  wonder  that  the  young  people  stay  away,  and 
that  they  lose  their  attraction  for  Community  life?  A Community  should 
be  an  enlarged  home,  differing  from  the  small  home  only  in  its  increased 
attractions  and  its  greater  facilities  for  improving  character.”  Hinds^ 
American  Communities,  pg.  29,  et  seq. 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society, 


79 


as  it  might  be  such,  for  the  aggrandisement,  of  Joseph  M. 
Bimeler.  By  Article  I,  regulating  elections,  it  will  be  observed, 
that  the  Agent  General  was  to  be  elected,  “unlimited  in  term, 
as  long  as  he  possessed  the  confidence  of  the  Society.”  But 
this  Consul  for  Life  seems  nowhere  to  have  attempted  to  improve 
or  abuse  the  Napoleonic  opportunity  entrusted  to  him.  Bimeler 
was  a most  remarkable  character.  He  must  have  been  possessed 
not  only  of  unusual  acumen  but  invincible  probity.  In  a wider 
field  and  under  more  favorable  circumstances  he  might  have 
become  a great  and  a national  leader.  It  is  to  be  seriously 
regretted  that  more  is  not  now  known  of  his  origin,  early  life 
and  personal  incidents  of  his  career.  I failed  to  learn  the  date 
or  place  of  his  birth  or  whether  he  came  from  Wiirttemberg, 
Bavaria  or  Baden,  as  all  those  sections  of  Germany  contributed 
members  to  the  original  (1817)  emigration.  It  is  claimed  that 
Bimeler  was  not  primarily  the  protagonist  of  the  communistic 
scheme  for  the  Zoarites  but  that  his  fellow  settlers  in  the  pioneer 
home  discerning  his  elements  of  popular  premiership,  advocated 
the  community  of  property  and  equality  of  person  in  order  to 
forestall  his  superiority  and  their  subordination.” 

As  we  have  previously  noted  in  this  article,  the  emigrants 
settled  in  primitive  huts  and  cabins  as  separate  families.  Any 
surplus  earnings,  saved  above  their  needs,  were  to  be  applied 
to  the  purchase  of  a proportionate  division  of  the  land,  held  by 
Bimeler  in  trust.  But  they  made  little  headway.  The  poorer, 
the  older  and  the  feeble  could  not  hold  their  own.  After  two 
years  of  this  unequal  struggle,  several  of  the  shrewder  members, 
who  were  jealous  or  fearful  of  Bimeler ’s  growing  supremacy, 
proposed  a common  proprietorship.  They  urged  this  plan  upon 
the  necessity  of  protecting  the  infirm  and  the  indigent.  This 
project  was  not  original  or  new  to  the  proposers.  They  had 
the  example  of  the  “Harmonists”  before  them.  Bimeler,  it  is 
said,  reluctantly  yielded  to  the  communists.  But  once  com- 
mitted to  it,  he  was  its  soul  and  mind,  the  “guiding  spirit  of 
all  their  enterprises.”  And  it  is  to  his  indefatigable  labors  and 

History  of  Tuscarawas  County,  published  by  Werner,  Beers  & Co., 
Chicago,  1884. 


80 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society. 


well  directed  efforts,  it  must  be  acknowledged,  the  Society  was 
indebted  for  its  growth  and  prosperity. 

Bimeler  is  attributed  with  no  greater  ambition  than  the 
desire  to  have  his  fellow  countrymen  comfortably  settled  in  their 
new  habitation,  freed  from  debt  and  enjoying  all  the  benefits  of 
‘^the  land  of  the  free  and  the  home  of  the  brave.”  He  was  bound 
to  his  people  with  ties  of  deep  and  sincere  sympathy.  He  was 
the  head  of  a great  family,  — and  his  guidance  was  a patriarchal 
one.  He  was  the  first  and  only  pastor  of  the  Society,  and  con- 
ducted its  religious  services  during  his  life  time.  In  this  respect, 
as  we  have  shown,  he  had  no  successor  and  the  religious  life 
as  well  as  the  financial  growth  of  the  commuity  culminated  under 
Bimeler’s  administration.^^  ^^^^s  not  only  their  spiritual  guide 
and  adviser  and  agent  in  all  temporal  things,  but  he  was  also 
“their  physician  to  heal  their  bodily  infirmities.”  He  controlled 
and  managed  everything.^^  Certainly  we  have  record  of  few  men 
so  complete  in  character,  so  rounded  in  attainments  and  so  ver- 
satile in  talent.  He  is  credited  with  great  social  qualities  and 
while  austere  and  decisive  when  dealing  with  his  people  as 
occasion  required,  he  nevertheless  was  genial  and  hospitable.^ 

®^They  are  tenants  in  common,  and  each  member  of  the  Com- 
munity thinks  of  advancing  his  own  interest  only  by  furthering  that  of 
the  whole.  They  are  called  to  a particular  stand  every  morning,  and 
to  each  are  assigned  their  respective  labors  for  the  day,  by  their  director. 
Their  perfect  harmony  of  feeling,  unity  of  interest,  simplicity  of  man- 
ner, universal  frugality  and  untiring  industry,  directed  by  an  able  finan- 
cier, have  enriched  the  whole,  and  have  brought  their  premises  into  the 
highest  state  of  cultivation. 

Jenkins’  Ohio  Gazetteer  (1837),  pg.  491. 

“ Bimeler  was  the  main  engine;  he  had  to  do  all  the  thinking,  preach- 
ing and  pulling  the  rest  along.  While  he  had  strength  all  went  on 
seemingly  very  well;  but  as  his  strength  began  to  fail  the  whole  con- 
cern went  on  slowly.  I arrived  the  week  after  his  death.  The  mem- 
bers looked  like  a flock  of  sheep  who  had  lost  their  shepherd.  Bimeler 
appointed  a well-meaning  man  for  his  successor,  but  as  he  was  not 
Bimeler,  he  could  not  put  his  engine  before  the  train.  Every  member 
pushed  forward  or  pulled  back  just  as  he  thought  proper;  and  their 
thinking  was  a poor  affair,  as  they  were  not  used  to  it. 

Noyes’  History  of  American  Socialisms,  pg.  136. 

“Henry  Howe’s  visit  to  Zoar,  1846,  related  in  Howe’s  History  of 

Ohio. 


AN  OLD  HO^"E. 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society. 


8L 


He  won  their  affection  as  well  as  their  respect.  One  tradition 
is  that  he  acquired  his  position  of  influence  and  superiority  by 
his  gentle  manner  and  tender  solicitude  and  kindness  to  the 
sick  on  the  vessel  during  the  voyage  to  America.  But  the  better 
belief  is  that  he  was  agreed  upon  as  their  Moses  before  they 
left  their  Fatherland,  for  it  is  known  that  he  was  a recognized 
teacher  and  leader  among  the  German  Separatists  previous  to 
their  departure. 

We  have  alluded  to  the  comfortable,  if  not  rather  luxu- 
rious, mode  of  life  indulged  in  by  Bimeler.  Aside  from  that 
there  nowhere  appears  any  evidence  of  his  taking  any  advan- 
tage of  his  prestige.  That  he  was  incorruptibly  honest  is  uni- 
versally acknowledged.  He  had  unquestioned  full  control  of 
the  commercial  affairs  of  the  Society  and  no  charge  of  mis- 
management, much  less  misappropriation,  was  ever  brought 
against  him.  He  held  in  his  own  name  the  title  of  all  the  prop- 
erty of  the  Society.  The  trusteeship  was  not  set  forth  in  Haga’s 
deed  to  Bimeler  but  ten  days  before  his  death,  by  will,  he  acknowl- 
edged the  trust  and  bequeathed  it  all  to  the  “Society  of  the  Sep- 
aratists of  Zoar.”25  The  will  and  testament  of  Mr.  Bimeler  is  a 
model  document  and  we  herewith  insert  it  in  full: 

I,  Joseph  Michaee  BimeeeR,  of  Zoar,  Tuscarawas  County,  and  State 
of  Ohio,  being  weak  in  body,  but  of  sound  and  disposing  mind,  memory 
and  understanding,  do  make  and  publish  this  as  my  last  will  and  testament. 
That  is  to  say : I give  and  bequeath  all  my  property,  real,  personal,  and 
mixed,  of  whatever  kind,  be  the  same  in  lands,  tenements,  trust  or  other- 
wise, bonds,  ^otes,  claims  book  accounts,  or  other  evidences  of  debt  of 
whatever  nature,  to  the  Society  of  Separatists  of  Zoar,  and  its  assigns,  for- 
ever ; hereby  declaring  that  all  the  property  I ever  held,  real  and  personal, 
within  the  county  of  Tuscarawas,  has  been  the  property  of  said  Society, 
and  was  held  by  me  in  trust  for  said  Society,  to  which  I now  return  it. 

And  I do  hereby  appoint  John  G.  Grozinger,  Jacob  Silvan  and  Jacob 
Ackerman,  trustees  of  said  Society,  as  my  executors,  to  carry  this,  my  last 
will,  into  effect. 

In  testimony  whereof  I have  hereunto  set  my  hand  and  afl&xed  my 
seal,  this  sixteenth  day  of  August,  A.  D.  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and 
fifty-three. 

[ SEAI..] 

Michener’s  Annals  of  Ohio,  p.  326. 

6 


Joseph  M.  Bimeeer. 


82 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society. 

Signed,  sealed  and  declared  by  the  above  named  J.  M.  Bimeler,  as  his 
last  will  and  testament,  in  presence  of  us  (the  words  “ and  its  assigns  for- 
ever”, interlined  before  signing). 

Jacob  Buckensdkrfer, 
Joseph  C.  Hance. 

In  personal  appearance  Bimeler  is  described  as  unprepos- 
sessing. “He  was  physically  imperfect,  one  of  his  eyes  was  much 
larger  and  more  prominent  than  the  other,”  and  as  already  stated, 
he  was  lame  and  walked  with  difficulty.  I sought  diligently  for 
some  picture  or  portrait  of  Bimeler,  but  was  informed  none  was 
ever  known  to  exist.  He  was  averse  to  being  reproduced 
in  “living  colors  on  the  glowing  canvas,”  probably  for 
obvious  reasons.  We  have  reverted  again  to  Bimeler’s  char- 
acteristics that  he  may  be  accorded  just  position  in  the  his- 
tory of  Zoar.  Unquestionably  his  strong  personality  was  the 
main  force  that  held  the  Society  together  and  impelled  it  to 
the  zenith  of  its  career.  There  was  no  one  to  fill  his  place ; in- 
deed, had  his  equal  been  found  to  succeed  him,  it  is  doubtful 
if  the  Society  could  still  have  prospered  or  even  continued  un- 
abated.*® The  internal  conditions  were  no  longer  the  same  and 
the  external  influences  were  different  and  decidedly  adverse. 

Thus  reads  the  recital  of  “the  strange,  eventful  history”  of 
the  Zoar  community.  The  beautiful  little  berg,  “loveliest  vil- 
lage of  the  plain,”  has  burst  the  bonds  of  its  seclusion  and — 
in  the  phrase  of  the  day — ^joined  the  procession  of  American 
progress.  It  could  not  stem  the  tide  of  conventional  civiliza- 
tion. What  its  future  may  be,  time  alone  will  disclose.  Surely 
there  can  be  no  one  who  has  seen  or  known  those  simple  and 
true-hearted  people  that  will  not  grant  them  the  hearty  wish 
of  Rip  Van  Winkle  — “May  they  live  long  and  prosper.” 

CONCLUSION. 

^ From  the  days  when  philosopher  Plato  wrote  his  ideal 
Republic  (400  B.  C.)  down  to  More’s  Utopia  (1516  A.  D.)  and 

"•  The  facts  of  the  history  of  the  principal  Communistic  Societies  of 
the  United  States  “teach  that  in  proportion  as  a community  loses  the 
afflatus  of  its  first  leaders  and  relies  upon  doctrines  and  the  machinery 
of  governments,  it  tends  to  death;  in  other  words,  a community  needs, 
for  its  growth  and  progress  in  all  stages  of  its  career,  a living  power  at 
its  center  not  inferior  to  that  which  it  had  in  the  beginning.” 

Hinds’  American  Communities,  p.  163. 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society. 


88 


on  to  the  latest  scheme,  Bellamy’s  Equality,  the  political  thinker 
and  sympathetic  socialist  has  ever  exercised  the  utmost  powers 
of  his  imagination  to  conceive  of  a perfected  state  of  society 
in  which  all  shall  be  equal  in  rights,  privileges,  possessions  and 
enjoyments.  America  has  been  a fruitful  field  for  such  experi- 
ments. Twice  in  our  later  social  history  have  there  been  epi- 
demics in  communism  — revivals  in  socialistic  experiments,  viz : 
in  1824,  when  Robert  Owen  visited  this  country  and  through 
the  ardent  advocacy  of  his  views  attracted  a large  following 
known  as  “Owenites.’^  Many  efforts  were  made  to  practically 
carry  out  his  delusive  doctrines.  Those  efforts  were  all  short- 
lived and  financially  disastrous.  Again  in  1840  the  teachings  of 
the  French  Fourier  (1772-1837)  were  popularly  promulgated  in 
the  United  States  and  encouraged  by  many  distinguished  Amer- 
ican scholars  and  writers.  American  Fourierism  is  particularly 
interesting  from  the  intellectual  and  literary  coloring  it  received. 
That  picturesque  and  grotesque  association  for  “agriculture  and 
education,”  the  famous  Brook  Farm  (1842)  in  which  our  most 
brilliant  litterateurs  participated,  was  one  of  the  conspicuous  pro- 
ducts of  the  Fourier  movement. 

It  has  been  stated  that  beginning  with  the  Jamestown 
colony  (1607),  down  to  the  latest  one  of  note,  that  of  Ruskin, 
Tennessee  (1894),  some  three  hundred  communistic  societies, 
in  various  phases,  have  been  attempted  in  the  United  States. 
Their  average  life  has  been  about  five  years  and  there  are  alive 
to-day  perhaps  twenty-five,  mostly  leading  a precarious  exis- 
tence. The  delightful  dream  of  Bellamy  has  experienced  many 
rude  awakenings.  The  plucky  little  Society  of  Zoar  has  run 
its  course  and  fought  the  good  fight.  Their  simple  record  is 
one  of  earnest  endeavor  and  honest  toil.  The  chronicler  of  the 
times  should  not  fail  to  faithfully  recount  their  deeds  and  write 
on  memory’s  tablet  the  description  of  those  Zoar  days  when 
the  peaceful  villagers, 

*‘Far  from  the  madding  crowd’s  ignoble  strife, 

Their  sober  wishes  never  learned  to  stray; 

Along  the  cool  sequestered  vale  of  life, 

They  kept  the  noiseless  tenor  of  thei^  wey.** 


84 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society. 


LEGAL  DOCUMENTS. 

We  should  regard  this  article  incomplete  unless  accompanied 
by  the  documents  herewith  appended.  They  mostly  speak  for 
themselves.  The  articles  of  Association  of  April  1819  and  the 
amended  articles  of  March  1824  have  already  been  given  on 
pages  7-10  ante. 


Articles  of  Incorporation. 

TO  INCORPORATE  THE  SOCIETY  OF  SEPARATISTS  OF  ZOAR,  TUSCARAWAS 

COUNTY. 

Section  1.  'Be  it  enacted  by  the  General  Assembly  of  the  State  of 
Ohio,  That  Joseph  M.  Bimeler,  John  G.  Grosinger,  Jacob  Syfong,  Michael 
Fetters,  Christopher  Plotz,  John  George  Lepold,  Solomon  Sala,  George 
Aukerman,  Jacob  Walz,  Christian  Hanzler,  John  Neff,  Lewis  Buck,  Philip 
Sell,  George  Ruff,  Godfrey  Kapple,  Christian  Weible,  Conrad  Lebold, 
John  C.  Fetter,  John  Miller  and  John  Fogle,  and  their  associates  be,  and 
they  are  hereby  created  a body  politic  and  corporate,  by  the  name  of  “The 
Society  of  Separatists  of  Zoar,”  with  perpetual  succession;  and  by  their 
corporate  name,  may  contract  and  be  contracted  with,  sue  and  be  sued, 
plead  and  be  impleaded,  defend  and  be  defended,  in  all  courts  of  all  and 
equity,  in  this  State  and  elsewhere ; may  have  a common  seal,  which  they 
may  break,  alter,  or  renew  at  pleasure ; shall  be  capable  of  holding  prop- 
erty, real,  personal  and  mixed;  either  by  purchase,  gift,  grant,  devise  or 
legacy;  and  may  sell,  alien,  dispose  of  and  convey  the  same;  and  the 
property  and  other  concerns  of  the  corporation,  shall  be  under  the  man- 
agement and  control  of  Trustees  appointed  for  that  purpose;  and  said 
corporation  shall  have  power  to  form  a constitution  and  adopt  by-laws  for 
its  government;  to  prescribe  the  number  and  title  of  its  officers;  and 
define  their  several  powers  and  duties ; to  prescribe  the  manner  in  which 
members  may  be  admitted  and  dismissed ; and  all  other  powers  necessary 
for  its  corporate  concerns:  Provided,  That  said  constitution,  by-laws, 
rules  and  regulations  be  consistent  with  the  constitution  and  laws  of  the 
United  States  and  this  State;  and  Provided,  also,  that  the  clear  annual 
income  of  said  Society  shall  not  exceed  one  thousand  dollars. 

Section  2.  That  the  persons  named  in  the  first  section  of  this  act, 
or  any  three  of  them,  may  call  a meeting  of  the  society,  by  giving  ten 
days’  notice  thereof,  by  advertisement  set  up  at  the  place  of  public  wor- 
ship in  the  village  of  Zoar,  for  the^  purpose  of  forming  a constitution 
and  adopting  by-laws  for  the  government  of  said  society,  and  of  doing 
such  uther  business  as  may  be  necessary  for  the  efficient  management  of 
said  corporation. 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society, 


85 


Section  3.  That  the  members  of  said  society,  or  such  number  of 
them,  as  by  said  laws  shall  be  necessary,  shall  meet  annually  on  the  second 
Tuesday  of  May,  at  the  place  of  holding  public  worship,  for  the  purpose 
of  electing  officers  of  said  corporation. 

Section  4.  That  any  future  Legislature  may  amend  or  repeal  this 
act:  Provided,  such  amendment  or  repeal  shall  not  affect  the  title  of  any 
real  or  personal  estate,  acquired  or  conveyed  under  its  provisions,  or 
divert  the  same  to  any  other  purpose  than  that  originally  intended. 

W.  B.  Hubbard, 

Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives. 


February  6th,  1892. 


Wm.  Doherty, 

Speaker  of  the  Senate, 


Amended  Articles  of  Incorporation. 

An  Act  to  amend  the  act  entitled,  “An  act  to  incorporate  the  Society 

of  Separatists  of  Zoar,  in  Tuscarawas  County. 

Section  1.  Be  it  enacted  by  the  General  Assembly  of  the  state  of  Ohio, 
That  so  much  of  the  second  section  of  the  act  entitled,  “An  act  to  incor- 
porate the  Society  of  Separatists  of  Zoar,  Tuscarawas  County,”  passed 
February  sixth,  one  thousand,  eight  hundred  and  thirty-two,  as  limits 
the  clear  annual  income  of  said  society  to  one  thousand  dollars,  be  and 
the  same  is  hereby  repealed;  and  the  society  are  hereby  authorized  to 
receive  a clear  annual  income  of  any  sum  not  exceeding  ten  thousand 
dollars. 

Section  2.  That  if  said  society,  for  any  cause,  shall  not  elect  offi- 
cers on  the  day  specified  in  said  act,  then  any  five  members  of  the 
society  may  order  an  election  by  giving  at  least  ten  days’  notice  by 
posting  up  printed  or  written  notices  of  the  time  and  place  of  holding 
such  election  in  three  of  the  most  public  places  in  the  village  of  Zoar, 
one  of  which  shall  be  at  the  place  of  holding  public  worship. 

Section  3.  The  fourth  section  of  the  act,  to  which  this  is  an 
amendment,  be  and  the  same  is  hereby  repealed. 

Section  4.  This  act  shall  take  effect  from  and  after  its  passage. 

Elias  F.  Drake, 

Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives. 


February  21,  1846. 


Seabury  Ford, 

Speaker  of  the  Senate. 


86 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society. 


Articles  of  Agreement  Signed  by  Those  Becoming 
Members  of  the  First  or  Probationary  Class. 

We,  the  undersigned,  members  of  the  first  class  of  Separatists, 
party  of  the  first  part,  and  George  Gasely,  Jacob  Ackerman  and  Chris- 
tian Ruof,  trustees  elect,  and  their  successors  in  office,  of  the  Separatists’ 
Society  of  Zoar,  in  the  County  of  Tuscarawas,  and  State  of  Ohio,  party 
of  the  second  part,  have,  through *^onfidence  mutually  reposed  in  one 
another,  established  and  by  these  presents  do  establish  the  following  rules 
and  principles  of  social  compact  for  the  better  fulfillment  of  the  duties 
of  mankind,  which  we  owe  to  one  another,  and  also  for  the  furtherance 
of  our  spiritual  and  temporal  welfare  and  happiness. 

ARTICLE  I. 

We,  the  said  party  of  the  first  part,  do  declare,  that  by  our  own 
free  will  and  accord  we  have  agreed  and  by  these  presents  do  agree  and 
bind  ourselves  to  labor,  obey  and  execute  all  the  orders  of  said  trus- 
tees and  their  successors  in  office;  and  from  the  day  of  the  date  hereof 
henceforth  to  use  all  our  industry  and  skill  in  behalf  of  the  exclusive 
benefit  and  welfare  of  the  said  Separatists’  Society  of  Zoar,  and  continue 
to  do  so,  as  long  as  strength  and  health  will  permit,  to  the  entire  satis- 
faction of  the  said  trustees  and  their  successors  in  office. 

ARTICLE  II. 

And  we  do  also  hereby  agree  and  bind  ourselves  firmly  by  these 
present,  to  put  our  minor  children  under  the  care  and  control  of  the  said 
trustees  and  their  successors  in  office,  in  the  same  manner  as  if  they 
had  been  bound  by  indentures  to  serve  and  dwell  with  them  and  their 
successors  in  office,  for  and  during  the  term  of  their  minority,  subject 
to  all  the  duties  and  likewise  entitled  to  the  same  rights  and  protection 
as  indentured  children  by  law  are  subject  and  entitled  to,  until  they 
shall  have  attained  their  proper  age  as  defined  by  the  statutes  of  the  State 
of  Ohio. 


ARTICLE  III. 

And  the  said  trustees  do  hereby  for  themselves  and  their  successors 
in  office,  agree  and  bind  themselves  to  furnish  the  said  party  of  the 
first  part  with  suitable  dwelling,  board  and  clothing,  free  of  cost,  the 
clothing  to  consist  at  any  time  of  not  less  than  two  suits,  including  the 
clothes  brought  by  the  said  party  of  the  first  part  to  this  society;  and  in 
case  of  sickness,  necessary  care  and  attendance  is  hereby  promised  to 
the  said  party  of  the  first  part;  and  this  performance  of  the  trustees  and 
their  successors  in  office  shall  be  considered  by  the  party  of  the  first 
part  a full  compensation  for  all  their  labors  and  services,  done  either 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society.  37 

by  themselves  or  their  minor  children , without  any  further  claim  or  de- 
mands whatever. 


ARTICLE  IV. 

Good  and  moral  behavior,  such  as  is  enjoined  by  strict  observance  to 
the  principles  of  Holy  Writ,  are  by  both  parties  hereby  promised  to 
be  observed;  hence,  it  is  clearly  understood  that  all  profane  language, 
immoral  words  and  acts,  which  may  cause  offense  amongst  the  other 
members  of  this  community,  are  not  only  wholly  to  be  avoided,  but, 
on  the  contrary,  all  are  to  endeavor  to  set  good  examples  and  to  cherish 
general  and  mutual  love. 


ARTICLE  V. 

The  object  of  this  agreement  being,  furthermore,  to  preserve  peace 
and  unity,  and  as  such  can  only  be  maintained  by  a general  equality 
among  its  members,  it  is,  therefore,  severally  understood  and  declared 
that  no  extra  demands  shall  be  made  or  alk-wed  in  respect  to  meat, 
drink,  clothing,  dwellings,  etc.  (cases  of  sickness  excepted),  but  such, 
if  any  can  be  allowed  to  exist,  may  and  shall  be  obtained  by  individuals 
through  means  of  their  own  and  never  out  of  the  common  fund. 

ARTICLE  VI. 

All  moneys,  which  the  said  party  of  the  first  part  either  now  pos- 
sesses or  hereafter  may  receive  into  their  possession,  shall  without  delay 
be  deposited  in  the  common  fund  of  this  society,  for  which  a receipt,  pay- 
able on  demand,  is  to  be  given;  but  upon  the  request  of  said  party  of 
the  first  part,  in  order  to  procure  extra  necessaries,  as  the  case  may  be, 
a part  or  the  whole  of  said  deposit  shall  be  refunded  to  the  owner. 

ARTICLE  VII. 

All  manner  of  misunderstanding  and  differences  shall  be  settled  by  way 
of  arbitration  and  not  otherwise;  that  is, by  a body  of  three  or  five  persons, 
to  be  chosen  by  both  parties,  and  their  decision  shall  be  binding  on 
both  parties. 

ARTICLE  VIII. 

All  rules  and  regulations  contained  in  the  foregoing  articles  (if  any 
there  be  which  are  not  plain  enough  or  are  subject  to  misapprehension) 
shall  be  so  understood  as  never  to  be  in  opposition  to  but  always  in  per- 
fect accordance  with  the  morals,  usages,  principles  and  regulations  of 
the  members  of  the  second  class  of  the  Separatists'  Society  of  Zoar. 

ARTICLE  IX. 

These  articles  being  fully  and  fairly  understood,  to  their  strict 
and  faithful  performance,  both  parties  bind  themselves  in  the  most 


88 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society. 

solemn  manner,  jointly  and  severally,  their  children,  heirs,  executors, 
administrators  and  successors  in  office  by  the  penal  sum  of  fifty  dollars, 
current  money  of  the  United  States  of  America. 

ARTICLE  X. 

If,  in  consequence  of  the  foregoing,  a penalty  upon  any  one  of  the 
parties  to  this  agreement  shall  be  laid,  then,  in  case  of  refusal  or 
non-compliance,  the  party  so  refusing  may  be  prosecuted  for  the  same 
before  any  magistrate  or  justice  of  the  peace  in  the  township,  county 
and  state  wherein  the  defendant  may  reside,  and  judgment  may  be  had 
agreeable  to  the  laws  of  this  state;  and  said  magistrate  or  justice  of  the 
peace  shall  forthwith  proceed  to  collect  such  penalty  and  pay  it  over  to 
the  party  who,  by  law,  is  entitled  to  the  same.  In  testimony  whereof, 
both  parties  have  hereunto  set  their  hands  and  seals  this  14th  day  of 
October,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  1833. 


Translation  of  the  Constitution  of  the  Separatist 
Society  of  Zoar. 


introduction 

TO  THE  constitution  of  the  separatist  society  of  zoar. 

Pursuant  to  an  act  of  the  Legislature  of  the  State  of  Ohio,  passed  A.  D. 
1832,  No.  126,  entitled ; “An  Act  to  Incorporate  the  Society  of  Separatists 
of  Zoar,  Tuscarawas,  County,  Ohio,”  we,  the  undersigned  members  of 
said  Separatist  Society  of  Zoar  and  its  vicinity  have  found  it  expedient 
to  renovate  our  hitherto  existing  Constitution,  as  contained  in  the  follow- 
ing articles: 

In  the  name  of  God  the  Father,  and  Jesus  Christ,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy 

Ghost,  Amen. 

In  order  furthermore  to  secure  to  our  consciences  that  satisfaction, 
proceeding  from  the  faithful  execution  of  those  duties  which  the  Christian 
religion  demands,  and  to  plant  and  establish  the  Spirit  of  Love  as  the 
bond  of  Peace  and  Unity  for  a permanent  foundation  of  social  order  for 
ourselves  and  our  posterity  forever,  we,  therefore,  seek  and  desire,  in 
accordance  to  pure  Christian  principles,  to  unite  our  various  individual 
interests  into  one  common  stock  and  conformably  with  the  example  of  the 
Primitive  Christians,  all  inequalities  and  distinctions  of  rank  and  fortune 
shall  be  abolished  from  amongst  us,  and,  consequently,  to  live  as  brethren 
and  sisters  of  one  common  family. 


FLOW'EK  GARDEN  IN  CENTER  OF  VILLAGE. 


History  of  ths  Zoar  Society. 


89 


Pursuant  to  the  foregoing  principle  and  resolution,  we,  voluntarily, 
unite  and  bind  ourselves  by  this  joint  agreement,  under  the  name  and  title 
of  Separatist  Society  of  Zoar.  And  we  obligate  ourselves,  each  to  the 
other,  that  we  will  hold  to  the  following  articles  and  rules,  that  we  will 
observe  and  support  the  same  to  the  best  of  our  abilities,  which  from  the 
day  of  the  date  thereof,  shall  be  in  force  and  virtue  in  law : 

ARTICLE  I. 

REGULATING  ELECTIONS.  x 

All  elections,  for  the  divers  necessary  officers  of  the  Society,  shall, 
agreeable  with  the  provisions  of  the  act  of  incorporation,  be  held  on  the 
second  Tuesday  of  May,  annually,  and  in  accordance  with  the  statute  of 
the  State  of  Ohio,  be  decided  by  ballot  and  majority  of  votes.  On  said 
election  day  shall  annually  be  elected  one  Trustee  (extraordinary  circum- 
stances excepted);  annually,  one  member  to  the  Standing  Committee; 
quadrennially  one  Cashier,  and  one  Agent  General  unlimited  in  term,  as 
long  as  he  possesseth  the  confidence  of  the  Society. 

The  time,^nd  place,  when  and  where  the  election  shall  be  holden,  also 
the  number  and  kind  of  officers  to  be  elected,  shall  be  made  known  by  the 
Trustees  of  the  Society,  at  least  twenty  days  previous  to  the  election,  for 
which  purpose  the  Society,  or  any  ten  members  thereof,  shall,  at  each  elec- 
tion, appoint  a committee  of  four  persons  whose  duty  it  shall  be  to  conduct 
the  election  in  conformity  to  the  laws  of  this  country. 

The  Society  shall  elect  all  its  officers  from  amongst  the  members 
thereof,  whereby  special  reference  shall  be  had  to  the  necessary  and  requi- 
site qualifications,  integrity  and  faithfulness  of  the  candidates. 

article  II. 

ELECTION  OF  TRUSTEES  AND  THEIR  DUTIES. 

The  Society  shall  elect  from  amongst  its  members  three  suitable  per- 
sons as  its  Directors  or  Trustees,  and  their  successors  in  office,  who  shall 
take  charge  of  the  joint  property  of  all  undersigned  members.  Said 
Trustees  shall,  as  stated  in  the  first  article,  be  elected  by  majority  and 
agreeable  to  the  following  regulations:  The  majority  for  three  years; 
second  majority  for  two  years,  and  third  majority  for  one  year,  and 
after  the  expiration  of  one  year,  annually  one  Trustee.  Should  the  case 
occur,  that  two  or  more  candidates  of  one  and  the  same  office  receive 
an  equal  number  of  votes,  then  the  balloting  shall  be  repeated,  until  a legal 
majority  be  obtained.  Each  Trustee  may  remain  in  office  for  three  years 
in  succession  unless  circumstances  to  the  contrary,  such  as  death,  sickness, 
absence,  refusing  to  serve,  etc.,  render  such  impossible;  or  in  case  the 
misconduct  of  any  one  of  said  Trustees  cause  the  Society  to  discharge  one 
or  the  other,  and  to  fill  such  vacancy,  as  said  Society  may  choose,  which 


90 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society. 


right  of  discharging  and  replacing,  the  said  Society  reserves  itself,  be- 
fore the  expiration  of  the  ordinary  term  of  three  years,  or  even  of  one 
year.  Yet,  each  Trustee  shall  remain  so  long  in  ofl&cc,  until  his  successor 
be  chosen. 

Said  Trustees  are  hereby  empowered  and  in  duty  bound  to  take  charge 
of  all  the  property,  real  and  personal,  which  this  Society,  either  now  or  in 
the  future,  may  possess,  including  all  property  of  newly  accepted  members, 
movable  and  immovable,  of  whatever  name  and  description  it  may  be; 
likewise  are  they  authorized  to  receive  all  kinds  of  legacies,  donations  and 
personal  claims,  in  fine  every  species  of  property  to  which  any  one  of  the 
members  may  at  any  time  have  just  claim,  to  demand  and  collect  the  same 
by  legal  proceedings,  and  shall  appropriate  and  apply  the  same  conscien- 
tiously to  the  best  of  their  knowledge  and  skill,  in  behalf  and  for  the 
exclusive  benefit,  use  and  advantage  of  said  Society.  And  it  shall  also 
be  the  duty  of  said  Trustees,  carefully  to  furnish  each  member,  without 
respect  to  person,  with  board,  clothing  and  dwelling  and  other  necessaries, 
alike  in  days  of  sickness  and  of  health,  as  good  as  circumstances  will 
allow.  Said  Trustees  shall  furthermore  take  charge  of  the  economical 
affairs  of  this  Society,  to  consult  over  and  direct  all  the  business,  and 
consequently  to  assign  to  each  individual  member  its  duty  and  work  to 
be  performed,  to  which  at  least  the  majority  of  said  Trustees,  if  not  all 
of  them,  shall  be  agreed.  Said  Trustees  are  hereby  empowered  to  appoint 
sub-trustees  or  agents,  as  many  and  to  whatever  purposes  they  may  see 
proper  and  necessary,  and  all  such  sub-trustees  or  agents  shall  be 
responsible  to  the  said  Trustees  for  all  their  transactions.  Said  Trustees 
shall  fill  the  different  branches  of  economy  with  suitable  persons,  who  shall 
conduct  the  same  subject  to  the  control  of  said  Trustees,  and  liable  to  like 
^responsibility  for  the  conduction  thereof  as  other  sub-trustees  or  agents. 
But  all  resolutions  in  regard  to  important  undertakings  shall  be  submitted 
to  and  subject  to  the  approbation  of  the  Standing  Committee,  and  said 
Trustees  shall  at  all  times  be  responsible  for  all  their  transactions  to  said 
Standing  Committee.  Casual  discord,  differences  and  misunderstandings, 
shall  throughout,  by  way  of  arbitration,  be  settled  amicably  by  the  Trustees 
of  said  Society.  In  case  that  this  cannot  be  accomplished  by  and  through 
said  Trustees,  then  the  court  of  arbitration  or  appeal,  cited  in  subsequent 
articles,  shall  solely  decide. 

As  the  said  Trustees  are,  by  this  article,  bound  to  maintain  and  pro- 
mote peace  and  order  in  the  Society,  they  are  furthermore  hereby  author- 
ized to  propose  to  the  board  of  arbitration  or  standing  committee  such 
regulations  and  improvements  calculated  to  facilitate  those  purposes,  and 
if  a majority  of  both  bodies  approve  of  the  measures  thus  proposed,  as 
proper  and  necessary,  they  shall  thereupon  be  recommended  to  be  observed 
as  such,  provided  that  such  amendments  be  in  no  wise  contradictory  to 
these  articles. 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society. 


91 


ARTICLE  III. 

ELECTION  AND  DUTIES  OF  THE  AGENT  GENERAL. 

In  order,  partly  to  simplify,  and  likewise  in  many  instances  to  ease 
the  business  and  duties  of  the  Trustees,  the  Society  shall  elect  an  Agent 
General  who  shall  act  for  and  in  the  name  of  said  Society.  He  is  hereby 
authorized  to  buy  and'^to  sell,  make  and  conclude  contracts,  and  to  dis- 
continue or  annul  them  again;  to  employ  agents  beyond  the  circle  of  the 
Society,  and  to  correspond  with  them;  also  to  issue,  and  again  to  accept 
orders ; to  direct  and  to  superintend,  to  the  welfare  of  the  Society,  all  its 
trading  and  commercial  concerns;  in  fine,  all  affairs,  which,  in  any  wise 
appertain  to  the  aforesaid  line  of  business,  of  whatever  name,  shape  and 
description  they  may  be,  shall  be  carried  on  under  his  direction  and  super- 
intendence. In  like  manner  shall  all  the  manufactures  and  similar  works 
be  under  his  superintending  care,  to  the  furtherance  and  improvement  of 
which  he  shall  pay  due  regard  and  so  regulate  them  in  such  a way  and 
manner,  as  he  shall  from  time  to  time  find  it  most  conducive  to  the  general 
good  of  said  Society. 

The  Agent  General  shall  furthermore  be  entitled  to  appoint  sub-agents, 
when  and  as  many  as  he  shall  stand  in  need  of,  who  shall  be  empowered 
to  transact,  in  his  name,  all  such  business  as  he  shall  see  proper  to  charge 
them  with,  and  said  sub-agents  shall  be  held  responsible  to  the  Agent 
General  for  all  their  transactions.  And  said  Agent  General  shall,  in  ap- 
pointing sub-agents,  act  by  and  with  the  consent  of  the  Trustees,  whose 
concurrence  shall  also  be  necessary  in  all  undertakings  of  moment  and 
importance.  And  for  the  due  administration  of  the  powers  and  duties 
hereby  committed  to  his  care  and  charge,  he  shall  be  accountable  to  the 
Standing  Committee  of  the  Society. 

All  deeds,  mortgages  and  similar  instruments  of  writing  shall  be 
executed  in  the  name  of  the  Trustees,  and  be  placed  to  the  safekeeping  of 
the  Agent  General. 

article  IV. 

ELECTION  AND  DUTIES  OF  THE  STANDING  COMMITTEE. 

By  virtue  of  these  articles  the  Society  shall  elect  from  amongst  its 
members  a Standing  Committee,  which  shall  consist  of  five  persons,  but  in 
case  a vacancy  of  one  or  two  members  thereof  should  occur,  either  by 
death,  sickness,  absence  or  otherwise,  then  the  three  remaining  members 
shall  be  capable  of  transacting  business,  until  the  next  succeeding  election. 
This  committee  shall  be  invested  with  the  concentrated  power  of  said 
Society,  and  shall  execute  all  those  duties  which  are  marked  out  for  it 
in  this  constitution.  In  all  extraordinary  cases  shall  this  Standing  Com- 
mittee serve  as  a Court  of  Appeal,  and  shall,  as  the  highest  tribunal,  be 
hereby  empowered,  to  decide  as  such,  and  the  judgment  thereof  shall  be 
final  and  binding  in  all  cases,  provided,  that  no  complaint  shall  be  brought 


92 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society. 


before  it  for  decision,  except  by  way  of  appeal,  that  is,  in  case  one  or 
both  of  the  contending  parties  should  be  dissatisfied  with  the  decision 
of  the  Trustees.  Trustees  can  never  at  the  same  time  be  members  of  this 
committee.  The  election  of  said  committee  shall  be  so  regulated  that 
annually  one  member  to  said  committee  shall  be  elected,  and  that  each 
member  hold  the  office  for  five  years  successively,  and  are  at  all  times 
eligible  again,  as  long  as  they  possess  the  confidence  of  said  Society. 

ARTICLE  V. 

ELECTION  OF  THE  CASHIER  AND  HIS  DUTIES. 

The  Society  shall  choose  a Cashier  or  Treasurer,  to  be  elected  for 
the  term  of  four  years,  and  shall  after  the  expiration  of  such  term  be 
eligible  again,  as  long  as  the  Society  entrust  him  with  the  station.  Said 
Cashier  shall  take  charge  of,  and  duly  administer  to  all  its  financial  con- 
cerns, and  beside  him  none  of  the  members  shall  be  entitled  to  hold  any 
money  without  order  from  the  Cashier;  even  the  Trustees  and  the  Agent 
General  shall  deliver  up  all  monies,  notes,  bonds,  checks,  etc.,  as  belonging 
to  the  Society,  into  the  treasury  without  delay,  and  every  transgressor  of 
this  provision  shall  by  any  member  or  person  whosoever,  be  prosecuted 
for  the  same  before  the  Trustees  of  the  Society,  and  shall  be  treated  by 
them  according  to  the  provisions  of  the  tenth  article. 

It  shall  also  be  the  duty  of  the  Cashier  to  appropriate  and  apply 
all  monies  received,  conformably  to  the  direction  of  the  Trustees,  the 
Agent  General  and  the  Standing  Committee,  exclusively  to  the  benefit 
of  the  Society;  to  pay  the  Society’s  debts;  defray  its  general  necessaries, 
and  to  credit  said  Trustees  with  the  surplus  fund.  All  and  every  person 
who  have  charge  over  any  one  or  more  of  the  branches  of  economy,  shall 
hand  in  their  accounts  to  the  Cashier  at  such  time  as  he  shall  see  proper 
to  order  the  same.  And  the  Trustees  are  hereby  entitled  to  request  from 
the  Cashier  an  annual  account  of  his  transactions,  if  they  deem  it  necessary. 

The  Cashier  shall  have  the  right,  if  circumstances  require  it,  to  ap- 
point a clerk  to  keep  regular  records  of  elections,  and  of  such  other  import- 
ant measures,  which  the  divers  officers  shall  deem  necessary. 

article  VI. 

DELIVERY  OF  PROPERTY,  AND  DUTIES  OF  THE  MEMBHUS. 

We,  the  undersigned,  members  second  class  of  the  Separatist  Society 
of  Zoar,  declare  by  these  presents,  that  all  our  property,  of  all  and  every 
description,  which  we  either  now  or  in  future  may  possess,  movable  or  im- 
movable, or  both;  together  with  all  claims,  titles,  rights,  devise  and 
legacies,  etc.,  of  whatever  kind  and  name  they  may  be,  as  well  for  our 
own  selves,  as  our  descendants,  heirs,  executors  and  administrators,  shall 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society. 


93 


be  forever  given  up  to  said  Society,  with  the  express  condition,  that  such 
property  shall,  from  the  date  of  the  signature  of  each  member,  forever 
henceforth,  consequently  after  the  death  of  each  respective  member,  be  and 
remain  the  exclusive  property  of  said  Society.  Also  do  we  promise  and 
bind  ourselves,  most  faithfully  and  industriously  to  execute  all  the  orders 
and  regulations  of  said  Trustees  and  their  sub-trustees  or  agents,  without 
opposition  and  murmuring ; and  we  likewise  agree  to  apply  all  our  strength, 
good  will,  industry  and  skill,  for  life,  to  the  general  benefit  of  said  Society, 
and  to  the  satisfaction  of  its  Trustees.  Likewise  do  we  promise  and 
agree,  under  the  same'^conditions  and  regulations,  to  place  our  children, 
whilst  they  are  in  a state  of  minority,-  under  the  directions  and  regulations 
of  said  Trustees,  in  same  manner,  as  if  they  were  legally  bounden  by 
lawful  indenture,  to  them  and  their  successors  in  office,  until  they  shall 
have  attained  their  proper  age,  as  defined  by  the  laws  of  this  State. 


article;  VII. 

ACCEPTANCE  OF  MEMBERS. 

In  accepting  new  members,  the  following  rule  and  order  is  to  be  ob- 
served : Each  and  every  person  wishing  and  desiring  to  become  a member 
of  the  second  class  of  this  Society  shall  first  of  all  have  attained  to  the 
» lawful  age,  that  is,  a male  person  shall  be  twenty-one  and  a female  eighteen 
years  of  age;  secondly,  shall  such  person  or  persons  have  lived  in,  and 
dwelled  with  the  Society,  for  the  term  of  at  least  one  year,  and  shall  have 
been  a member  of  the  first  class,  of  this  Society,  (without  exception,  if 
even  born  and  educated  in  the  Society)  and  provided,  that  they  have 
faithfully  fulfilled  the  contract,  previously  concluded  with  the  Trustees  of 
this  Society  at  their  entrance  into  the  first  class.  If  such  person  or  per- 
sons can  show  forth  the  aforementioned  qualifications,  and  the  resolution 
not  being  prematurely  made,  but  who,  by  their  own  free  will  and  accord, 
self-convinced,  are  so  resolved,  such  person  or  persons,  shall  make  known 
their  intention  to  one  or  more  of  the  Trustees,  whose  duty  it  shall  be  to 
hear  such  person  or  persons,  and  if,  after  having  taken  the  applicant’s 
motives  into  consideration,  no  well-founded  causes  for  rejection  or  post- 
ponement be  found,  then  said  Trustees  shall  make  it  known  to  the  Society 
at  least  thirty  days  previous,  and  appoint  the  time  and  place,  when  and 
where  such  signing  shall  be  performed ; and  if,  during  such  interval  no 
complaints  or  objection^ from  the  part  of  the  Society,  or  any  of  its  indi- 
vidual members  against  such  person  or  persons  be  made,  thereupon  they 
may  be  admitted  to  the  signing  of  this  constitution,  and  after  signing 
such,  are  thereby  constituted  members  of  the  second  class  of  the  Society 
and  shall  be  considered  and  treated  as  such;  provided,  that,  in  case  such 
new  member  shall  have  kept  secret  any  of  its  contracted  debts  or  other 
obligations,  foreign  to  the  Society,  such  member  shall  have  forfeited  all 


94  History  of  the  Zoar  Society. 

privileges  and  rights  of  membership,  in  case  sufficient  proof  be  found  to 
establish  the  fact. 


ARTICLE  VIII. 

EDUCATION  INSTITUTE. 

In  accordance  with  this  article  the  Society  shall  keep  or  establish  a 
general  education  institute  for  all  the  children  in  the  community,  at  the 
head  of  which  such  male  or  female  overseers  shall  be  placed,  whose  quali- 
fications shall  be  found  best  suited  for  said  purpose.  And  agreeable 
to  this  proviso,  all  the  parents  of  children  in  this  Society,  bind  themselves 
by  these  presents,  to  deliver  up  and  place  their  children,  after  having 
arrived  at  the  third  year  of  their  age,  or  sooner,  to  the  overseers  of  said 
institution,  where  such  children  shall  receive,  according  to  their  age  and 
faculties,  appropriate  education  and  tuition.  Said  overseers  shall  be  chosen 
and  engaged  by  the  Standing  Committee,  subject  to  the  express  duty,  that 
they  shall  exert  their  best  endeavors  and  care  to  give  those  children, 
placed  under  their^care,  as  well  in  moral  as  physical  consideration,  the 
best  possible  education,  thereby  having  in  view,  not  only  the  attainments 
of  scientific  branches  of  knowledge,  but  also  gradually  to  train  them  to 
performing  the  divers  branches  of  manual  labor.  And  it  is  hereby  made 
the  duty  of  said  committee  to  keep  a strict  superintendence  over  this 
institution;  and  they  shall  also  be  authorized  to  place  such  children,  as 
soon  as  their  age,  abilities  and  bodily  constitution  will  permit,  under  the 
control  of  the  Trustees,  who  shall  give  them  such  employment,  as  they 
may  be  able  to  perform. 

ARTICLE  IX. 

POWER  OF  THE  TRUSTEES  TO  COLLECT  AND  TAKE  CHARGE  OF  HERITAGES,  ETC. 

This  article  authorizeth  and  empowereth  the  Trustees  and  their  suc- 
cessors in  office,  in  the  name  of  the  Society,  to  hold  and  take  possession  of 
all  remaining  property  of  deceased  members,  with  all  their  rights,  titles 
and  claims  whatsoever,  to  demand,  or  cause  the  same  to  be  demanded  and 
collected;  and  finally,  they  are  hereby  invested,  as  the  universal  heirs  in 
the  name  of  the  Society,  to  act  with  full  right  and  power,  as  if  such  de- 
ceased person  or  persons  were  yet  living,  themselves  demanded  and  ac- 
quitted for  the  same;  hence,  the  children,  friends  and  relatives,  whether 
they  be  in  or  without  the  Society,  can  not  be  or  become  heirs  to  such  ah 
heritage  of  a deceased  member,  since  all  property  forever  is,  and  shall 
remain  the  portion  of  said  Society.  And  the  Trustees  of  said  Society  are, 
and  shall  be  hereby  authorized  to  empower  other  suitable  persons  in  or 
out  of  the  Society,  to  demand  and  collect,  or  cause  to  be  demanded  and 
collected,  monies,  estates  and  effects  of  persons  either  yet  living  or  de- 
ceased, in  same  manner,  as  if  such  person  or  persons,  for  whom  such  was 
done,  had  themselves  demanded  and  collected  the  same,  received  it  and 
receipted  therefor. 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society, 


95 


ARTICI.E  X. 

CONTENTIONS,  ETC. 

Casual  contentions  between  two  or  more  members,  and  complaints  of 
whatever  kind  and  description  they  may  be,  shall  be  brought  before  the 
Trustees  and  by  them  to  be  examined  and  settled.  But,  in  case  one  or 
the  other  party  should  not  be  satisfied  with  the  decision  of  said  Trustees, 
or  should  any  one  or  more  of  the  Trustees  themselves  be  envoi ved  in 
such  contentions,  etc,  then  appeal  may  be  had  to  the  Standing  Committee 
or  Court  of  Appeal,  whose  decisions  shall  in  all  cases  be  final  and  binding ; 
whosoever  shall  act  contrary  to  this  provision,  and  will  not  be  satisfied 
with  their  Judgment  looseth  and  debarreth  him  or  herself  of  all  further 
enjoyments  and  rights  of  a member. 

ARTICLE  XI. 

SECEDING  MEMBERS. 

Should  any  member  or  members  find  cause  to  secede  from  the  Society, 
they  shall  make  known  such  their  intentions  to  one  or  more  of  the  Trus- 
tees, whose  duty  it  shall  be  to  notify  the  Society  thereof,  in  order  that  if 
any  complaints  be  existing  against  such  member  or  members,  they  may 
betimes  brought  forward  to  said  Trustees,  who  shall  thenceforward  act 
in  respect  to  them  agreeable  to  all  the  attending  circumstances.  But 
should  any  seceding  member  or  members,  unknowingly  to  the  Trustees, 
have  contracted  any  debt  or  debts  upon  the  community,  or  been  the  cause 
of  subjecting  the  Society  to  any  costs  or  injury,  in  such  case  said  member 
or  members  shall  make  satisfactory  restitution,  or  otherwise  render  such 
indemnification  as  the  said  Trustees  shall  demand,  and  in  case  such  seceder 
or  seceders  should  not  content  themselves  with  the  judgment  of  said 
Trustees  and  refuse  to  make  such  satisfactory  restitution,  in  that  case 
both  parties,  the  Trustees  and  seceding  members,  shall  be  entitled  to  an 
appeal  to  the  Standing  Committee,  and  the  decision  thereof  shall  in  all 
cases  be  binding  and  final.  Should  any  person  or  persons,  notwithstand- 
ing this  provision,  be  dissatisfied,  and  apply  to  a court  of  justice  beyond 
the  limits  of  the  Society  for  assistance,  in  such  case  they  are  also  hereby 
bound  to  render  due  indemnification  for  all  damages  and  loss  of  time 
thereby  caused  to  and  sustained  by  said  Society. 

In  case  any  seceding  person  should  refuse  to  comply  with  the  demands 
of  the  Trustees,  in  pursuance  of  the  decision  of  the  Standing  Committee, 
the  Trustees  shall  be  authorized  to  prosecute  such  person  or  persons,  and 
by  course  of  law  to  bring  them,  or  cause  them  to  be  brought  to  the  due 
fulfillment  of  the  duty  or  payment  as  aforesaid.  Furthermore  shall  the 
committee  be  authorized  to  act  in  like  manner  with  all  those,  who  can 
account  of  acting  contrary  to  duty  and  good  order,  have  been  expelled 


96 


History  of  the  /.oar  Society. 


from  the  Society,  to  expunge  their  names  and  signatures,  and  to  excom- 
municate them  from  all  further  enjoyment  and  right  of  a member  o4 
this  Society.  Neither  the  seceding  persons,  who  leave*  the  Society  of  their 
own  accord,  nor  those  who  are  expelled  therefrom,  can  ever,  by  virtue 
of  their  signatures,  and  by  the  provisions  of  this  article,  under  no  pre- 
tense whatever,  in  no  wise,  make  any  demand  or  claim,  either  upon  prop- 
erty brought  to  the  Society,  or  for  their  labor,  or  any  other  services,  which 
they  may  have  rendered  the  Society,  in'^hatever  the  same  shall  have 
consisted,  notwithstanding;  yet  such  person  or  persons  may,  if  they 
choose,  submit  such  their  pretensions  to  the  Standing  Committee,  whose 
opinion  shall  decide,  whether  or  not,  or  under  what  condition  such  appli- 
cants shall  be  entitled  to  receive  any  indemnity. 

All  judgments  of  the  committee,  issued  pursuant  to  the  foregoing 
prescriptions,  shall  be  made  out  in  writing  and  recorded  in  a book  to  be 
kept  for  that  purpose,  which  shall  in  all  courts  of  law  and  equity  be  con- 
sidered as  valid  and  incontestable.  Each  given  judgment  of  said  com- 
mittee shall  be  handed  over  to  one  or  more  of  the  Trustees,  by  virtue  of 
which  he  or  they  are  authorized  to  execute  such  judgment,  or  cause  it  to 
be  executed,  either  on  voluntary  terms,  or  by  the  ordinary  process  of  law. 

This  constitution  shall  never,  in  any  wise,  be  broken  or  annulled  by 
dissatisfied  or  seceding  members. 

article  XII. 

CONCERNING  THE  CONSTITUTION. 

The  Society  can  at  any  time,  whenever  deemed  expedient  and  neces- 
sary, alter  this  their  constitution,  or  any  one  of  the  articles  thereof,  or 
add  thereto,  provided,  that  such  alteration  or  addition  shall  always  be 
founded  upon  the  principles  of  Unity  and  Conservation  of  the  Society, 
and  only  then  practicable  if  at  least  two-thirds  of  all  the  members  be  in 
favor  of  it.  In  no  wise  shall  this  present  renewed  constitution  ever  be 
viewed  as  declaring  or  representing  ineffectual  and  void  the  articles 
signed  by  the  members  on  the  fifteenth  day  of  April,  1819,  and  those  of 
the  fifteenth  day  of  Alarch,  A.  D.  1824;  on  the  contrary,  said  articles 
shall  be  acknowledged  as  the  basis  to  this  present  constitution. 

All  unintelligibleness,  equivocation,  or  deficienc3%  which,  peradventure, 
might  exist  in  this  constitution,  shall  always  be  construed  and  treated  in 
favor  of  the  Society,  and  never  to  the  advantage  of  individual  members. 

At  least  annually,  at  a suitable  time,  shall  this  constitution  be  publicly 
read  at  the  place  of  public  meeting. 

Written  and  concluded  in  Zoar,  Tuscarawas  county.  State  of  Ohio,  the 
fourteenth  day  of  May,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  eight  hun- 
dred and  thirty  and  three. 


HARVEST  SCENE, 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society, 


97 


Incorporation  of  the  Vieeage  of  Zoar. 


To  the  Honorable^  the  Board  of  Commissioners  of  the  County  of  Tus-^ 

carawas,  and  State  of  Ohio : 

The  undersigned  householders,  resident  in  the  Town  of  Zoar,  Tus- 
carawas county,  Ohio,  respectfully  ask  the  following  territory  with  the 
village  of  Zoar  as  its  center,  be  incorporated  and  be  known  and  designated 
as  the  incorporated  Village  of  Zoar,  to-wit:  Beginning  in  the  middle  of 
the  E.  line  of  the  4th  qr.  of  Tp.  10  in  Range  2 of  the  U.  S.  Military  lands, 
thence  W.  on  a line  parallel  with  the  S.  line  of  said  qr.,  Tp.  400  rods 
to  the  middle  thereof,  thence  N.  by  a line  parallel  with  the  E.  line  of  said 
qr.  Tp.  400  rods  to  the  middle  of  the  N.  line  of  said  qr.  Tp.,  crossing  said 
line  and  continuing  N.  in  the  same  direction  80  rods  to  a point,  thence 
E.  on  a parallel  line  with  the  N.  line  of  said  qr.  Tp.  560  rods,  to  the  S.  W. 
corner  of  40  acres,  belonging  to  the  estate  of  D.  K.  Nixon,  in  the  N. 
half  of  Sec.  15  in  Tp.  10  and  Range  1,  thence  due  S.  through  lands  of 
the  Zoar  Society,  by  a parallel  line  with  the  W.  line  of  said  Sec.  480  — 
to  the  road  leading  from  John  Bayley’s  farm  to  Zoar,  thence  W.  in  the 
said  road  and  crossing  the  road  leading  from  Zoar  Station  to  Zoar, 
and  also  crossing  the  Tuscarawas  river,  in  the  same  direction  160  rods 
to  the  place  of  beginning.  The  proposed  number  of  inhabitants  residing 
in  the  proposed  corporation  is  about  three  hundred  and  twenty  (320). 
The  petitioners  hereby  appoint  Simon  Beiter  as  their  agent. 


Jacob  Ackermann,  Sr., 
John  G.  Ruof, 

Samuel  Harr, 

Clemens  Breil, 

Andrew  Goutenbem, 
Christian  Ruof, 

Obed  Ruof, 

Louis  Zimmerman, 

Simon  Beiter,  Sr., 

Jacob  Burkhart, 

Anton  Burkhart, 
Gottlieb  Seiz, 

Sebastian  Burkhart, 
Joseph  Breymaier, 
August  Neumann, 

Jakob  Ricker, 

Charles  Zimmerman, 
Edward  Beuter, 
Christian  Ackermann, 
Christian  J.  Ruof,  Jr., 
John  Breymaier, 


John  Groetzinger, 
Samuel  Ricker, 
Levi  Bimeler, 
Jacob  Breymaier, 
David  Beuter, 
Lorenz  Fritz, 
Frederick  Breil, 
Solomon  Breil, 
Julius  Notter, 
Jonathan  Benter, 
Benjamin  Ricker, 
Simon  Beiter,  Jr., 
Jacob  Kuem  merle, 
John  Ricker, 
Christian  Hoyh, 
John  Ruof, 
Charles  Breil, 
William  Kappel, 
Wm.  Ehlers, 
Michael  Mueller^ 
Henry  Ehlers, 


7 


1 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society. 


m 


David  Breymaier, 
John  Notter, 

Bainard  Beuter, 

Burn  HART  Beiter, 

John  Kuecherer, 

John  Sturm, 

John  C.  Breymaier, 
Benjamin  Better, 
Jacob  Ackermann,  Jr., 
John  D.  Bimeler, 


Franz  Strobel, 

Jakob  Buehler, 
August  Kuecherer, 
William  Kuecherer, 
John  Better, 

Levi  Better, 

Mathias  Dischinger, 
Leo.  Kern, 

Charles  Kappel. 


Notice  is  hereby  given  that  a petition  praying  for  the  incorporation 
of  the  Village  of  Zoar,  and  adjacent  territory,  as  a village,  has  been 
presented  to  the  Commissioners  of  Tuscarawas  county,  Ohio,  and  that 
the  same  will  be  for  hearing  on  Wednesday,  May  7th,  1884. 

Simon  Beiter,  Agent. 

Mar.  13  W.  4. 


The  State  op  Ohio, 

Tuscarawas  County,  j 

I,  Addison  M.  Marsh,  being  duly  sworn  say  that  the  notice  here- 
unto attached  was  published  in  the  Tuscarawas  Advocate,  on  the  13th  day 
of  March,  A.  D.  1884,  and  continued  therein  four  consecutive  weeks, 
during  all  of  which  time  said  newspaper  was  printed  and  in  general 
circulation  in  said  county. 

Addison  M.  Marsh,  Publisher. 


Sworn  to  and  subscribed  before 
Printer’s  fees,  $2.50. 


me  this  5th  day  of  June,  1884. 

P.  S.  Olm  stead,  /.  P. 


Commissioners  Journal,  Tuscarawas  county,  Ohio,  Wednesday,  March 
5th,  1884.  In  the  matter  of  the  Incorporation  of  the  Village  of  Zoar,  the 
Petition  of  Jacob  Ackerman,  Sr.,  and  sixty  other  citizens  of  said  village 
having  this  day  been,  by  their  agent,  Simon  Beiter,  filed  with  the  Board 
of  Commissioners  for  Tuscarawas  county,  Ohio,  praying  for  the  incor- 
poration of  said  village,  under  the  name  and  style  of  the  Incorporated 
Village  of  Zoar,  together  with  an  accurate  plat  of  the  territory  sought 
to  be  incorporated,  and  it  appearing  to  said  Board  that  the  matter  of 
said  petition  was  proper  to  be  set  out  therein,  thereupon  on  said  day 
it  being  at  a regular  session,  said  Commissioners  caused  said  petition, 
together  with  the  attending  plat  to  be  filed  in  the  office  of  the  County 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society, 


99^ 


Auditor,  and  ordered  that  the  time  and  place  of  hearing  on  said  petition, 
should  be  Wednesday,  May  7th,  1884,  at  10  o’clock  A.  M.,  and  at  the 
Auditor’s  office  of  said  county,  in  New  Philadelphia,  Ohio,  Simon  Beiter, 
agent,  was  then  and  there  notified  of  said  time  and  place  of  hearing, 
Wednesday,  May  7th,  1884.  In  the  matter  of  the  petition  of  Jacob  Acker-  - 
man,  Sr.,  and  sixty  others,  for  the  incorporation  of  the  village  of  Zoar,. 
for  hearing  on  this  day,  the  same  is  postponed  until  Tuesday,  June  3d, 
1884,  and  leave  granted  to  petitioners  to  amend  petition.  Tuesday,  June- 
3d,  1884.  In  the  matter  of  the  incorporation  of  the  Village  of  Zoar, 
hearing  on  which  application  was  adjourned  to,  this  day  came  Simon 
Beiter,  agent  for  said  village  and  on  leave  hereintofore  granted,  filed 
amended  petition.  Map  and  Plat  of  Territory  described  therein.  This 
matter  came  on  for  hearing  in  said  amended  petition,  whereupon  the 
Board  find  that  said  petition  contains  all  the  matter  required,  that  itSv 
statements  are  true,  that  the  name  proposed  is  appropriate,  that  the- 
limits  of  the  proposed  incorporation  are  accurately  described  and  are  not 
unreasonably  large  or  small,  that  the  plat  is  an  accurate  Plat  of  the 
Territory  sought  to  be  incorporated,  that  the  persons,  whose  names  arc 
subscribed  to  the  petition  are  electors  residing  on  the  Territory,  that 
notice  has  been  given  as  required  of  the  hearing  on  this  application,  and. 
that  there  is  the  requisite  population  for  the  proposed  incorporation.. 
Therefore  it  is  ordered  by  the  Board  of  Commissioners  for  Tuscarawas 
county,  Ohio,  that  the  prayer  of  the  petitioners  be  granted  and  that  the 
village  of  Zoar  be  and  hereby  is  established  an  Incorporated  Village 
under  the  name  and  style  of  the  “Incorporated  Village  of  Zoar.” 

H.  B.  Heffer, 

SamT  Rufer, 

Wm,  E.  Lash, 

Commissioners  of  Tuscarawas  County,  Ohio, 

Filed  with  the  Secretary  of  State,  August  25,  1884. 


Deed  of  the  Property  by  the  Trustees  to  the  Members 
ON  THE  Separation  of  the  Society. 

This  deed,  the  result  of  the  division  of  the  realty  belonging  to  the 
Society,  is  an  unique  document.  The  entire  distribution  of  the  prop- 
erty into  the  respective  shares  is  embraced  in  one  deed  by  the  trustees 
of  the  Society  to  the  grantees — the  recipient  members  of  the  dissolving 
Society.  By  the  permission  of  the  County  Surveyor,  Mr.  George  E.  Hay- 
ward, the  plat  showing  the  respective  allotments,  both  in  the  village 
and  the  farm  land  to  each  member,  is  published  and  accompanies  this 
volume.  The  village  cemetery,  church  and  school  properties  were  re- 
served public  possessions  for  the  village. — E.  O.  R. 


100 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society. 


Deed  of  the  Distributed  Realty. 

The  Society  of  Separatists  of  Zoar 

TO 

Carl  Ehlers,  et.  al. 

Know  all  men  by  these  presents  that  whereas  we,  Carl  Ehlers,  Louisa 
M.  Ehlers,  Charles  J.  Breymaier,  Otelle  Bimeler,  Peter  Bimeler,  Mary 
Bimeler,  Ernestine  Breil,  Mary  Breil,  Charles  Breil,  Clemens  Breil,  Flora 
Burkhart,  Christian  Ruof,  Jr.,  Matilda  Ruof,  Conrad  Breymaier,  Char- 
lotte Breymaier,  Jacob  Breymaier,  Caroline  Breymaier,  Caroline  Kuem- 
merle,  Levi  Beuter,  Caroline  Beuter,  Jonathan  Beuter,  Pauline  Beuter, 
Gottlieb  Seitz,  Anna  Seitz,  Pauline  Kuecherer,  Albert  Kuecherer,  Selma 
Ruof,  Jacob  Kuemerle,  Johana  Kuemerle,  Rosina  Roth,  Barbara  Wetter, 
Jacob  Buehler,  Joseph  Buehler,  Thersie  Buehler,  Levi  Bimeler,  Caroline 
Bimeler,  Anton  Burkhart,  Salome  Burkhart,  Bertha  Kuecherer,  Rudolph 
Ruckstuhl,  Sarah  Ruckstuhl,  Simon  Beuter,  Jacob  Burkhart,  Emilie  Burk- 
hart, Frank  Ackerman,  Louisa  Ackerman,  Jacob  Ricker,  Lydia  Ricker, 
Joseph  Beuter,  Caroline  Beuter,  Bernhart  Beiter,  Mary  Beiter,  Albert 
Beuter,  Alma  Beuter,  John  Beiter,  Elizabeth  Beuter,  Sebastian  Burkhart, 
Regina  Burkhart,  Leo  Kern,  Sabina  Kern,  Geo.  Ackerman,  Wilhelmine 
Ackerman,  David  Beuter,  Amanda  Beuter,  Elizabeth  Ricker,  Anna  Maria 
Peterman,  Joseph  Bimeler,  Amelia  Bimeler,  Mathias  Dischinger,  Jacobine 
Dischinger,  Jacob  Dischinger  William  Kappel,  Wilhelmina  Kappel,  Simon 
Beuter,  Jr.,  Rosena  Beuter,  Christian  Hoyh,  Mary  Hoyh,  Joseph  Brey- 
maier, Bertha  Breymaier,  Jacob  Ackerman,  Mary  Ackerman,  Josephine 
Ackerman,  Elizabeth  Mock,  Christian  Ruof,  Mary  Ruof,  Benjamin  Beu- 
ter, Salome  Beuter,  Charles  Kappel,  Wilhelmine  Kappel,  Jacob  J.  Sturm, 
Ellen  S.  Sturm,  John  Ruof,  Caroline  Ruof,  John  Groetzinger,  Lea 
Groetzinger,  Regina  Breymaier,  Elizabeth  Fritz,  John  Ackerman,  Charles 
Zimmerman,  John  Sturm,  August  Kuecherer,  Barbara  Kuecherer,  C.  F. 
Sylvan,  Lydia  Sylvan,  John  Bimeler,  Louisa  Bimeler,  Mary  Sylvan, 
Rosina  Harr,  Ella  Rieker,  Louisa  Zimmerman,  Louis  Zimmerman,  An- 
toniette  Zimmerman,  Julius  Notter,  Rebecca  Notter,  Andreas  Gauter- 
bein,  Louisa  Gauterbein,  Christiana  Strobel,  John  Kuecherer,  Rosena 
Kuecherer,  Lawrence  Kuecherer,  Emelia  Burkhart,  Obed  Ruof,  Eliza 
Beiter,  Emma  Heid,  Lillian  Ruof,  Josephine  Ruof,  Hattie  Ackerman, 
Edwin  Breil,  William  Kuemerle,  John  Buehler,  John  Ricker,  Orthoford 
Kappel  and  August  Kuecherer,  Jr.,  members  of  the  second  class  of  the 
Society  of  Separatists  of  Zoar,  all  of  the  County  of  Tuscarawas  and  State 
of  Ohio,  and  the  only  living  members  of  said  second  class,  on  the  10th 
day  of  March,  A.  D.  1898,  together  with  Christian  Ackerman  and  Fred- 
erick Breil,  both  of  whom  have  since  died,  entered  into  a written  contract 
of  that  date  as  between  ourselves,  the  said  Christian  Ackerman  and 
Frederick  Breil  and  the  Society  of  Separatists  of  Zoar,  a CQiporation, 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society. 


101 


provided  among  other  things  for  the  partition  and  division  among  us 
and  the  said  Christian  Ackerman  and  Frederick  Breil  of  all  the  real  estate 
of  said  The  Society  of  Separatists  of  Zoar,  with  the  exception  of  certain 
reservations  specifically  set  forth  in  said  written  contract,  the  legal  title 
to  all  of  said  real  estate  was  then  and  still  is  in  the  name  of  the  said 
The  Society  of  Separatists  of  Zoar,  and  held  by  it  in  trust  for  us  and 
said  two  deceased  members  and  their  respective  heirs,  and  which  said 
written  contract  is  of  record  in  the  minute  book  of  the  said  Society  on 
page  30  to  48  both  inclusive,  which  book  is  in  the  office  of  said  Society  in 
the  village  of  Zoar  in  said  county,  and  in  the  custody  of  Louis  Zimmer- 
man, as  Treasurer  of  said  Society,  reference  to  which  record  is  hereby 
made. 

And  whereas  by  the  terms  and  provisions  of  said  written  contract, 
We,  together  with  the  two  deceased  members,  selected  and  appointed 
Samuel  Foltz,  Henry  S.  Fisher  and  William  Becker  Commissioners  to 
make  said  partition  and  division  and  to  designate  in  their  report  and 
statement  by  numbers  and  on  a plat  to  be  prepared  by  George  E.  Hay- 
ward, the  surveyer  selected  by  us  and  said  two  deceased  members,  the' 
parts  and'  portions  of  said  real  estate  which  each  of  us  is  to  receive  as 
our  respective  shares  and  allotments  and  the  respective  shares  and  allot- 
ments of  each  of  said  two  deceased  members. 

And  whereas  the  said  commissioners  have  fully  performed  their 
duties  required  of  them  by  the  terms  of  said  written  agreement  and  have 
made  their  statement  and  report  in  writing  and  had  said  plat  prepared  as 
required  by  the  terms  of  said  contract,  and  which  statement  and  report 
is  in  the  words  and  figures  following  and  is  the  original  statement  and 
report,  to-wit: 

We,  the  duly  selected  and  authorized  Commissioners  for  the  pur- 
pose of  sub-dividing,  allotting  and  apportioning  the  lands  (and  appur- 
tenances thereto  belonging)  of  the  Society  of  Separatists  of  Zoar,  Ohio, 
designated  to  us  for  that  purpose,  do  hereby  make  the  following  report 
of  our  findings  and  action  in  said  division  and  allotment  and  declare 
that  to  the  best  of  our  ability  and  judgment  we  have  made  an  equitable, 
just  and  impartial  partition  and  allotment  of  the  real  estate  of  said 
Society  submitted  to  us  for  that  purpose. 

In  making  such  division  it  has  been  with  the  idea,  first  to  make  a 
complete  appraisement  and  invoice  of  all  said  real  estate  without  reference 
to  persons  or  location. 

The  appraisement  being  conducted  by  personal  visits  to  all  tracts  in 
question,  the  boundaries  and  limits  being  duly  designated  by  us  and  after- 
ward surveyed,  computed  and  compiled  by  the  surveyor. 

After  arriving  at  the  result  and  sum  total  the  partition  was  con- 
ducted with  a view  to  giving  so  far  as  practicable,  village  property,  agri- 
cultural lands  and  timber  lands  to  each  of  the  parties  in  interest  severally; 
or  jointly  when  so  requested. 


102 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society. 


Authorized  Report  of  Division  Commissioners. 

We  met  and  organized  May  2,  1898,  and  the  work  of  appraisement 
began  May  12,  1898.  Geo.  E.  Hayward  acted  as  our  clerk  throughout 
the  work. 

Following  the  terms  of  the  signed  contract  we  do  hereby  certify  that 
we,  in  conjunction  with  the  duly  authorized  and  appointed  surveyor. 
Geo.  E.  Hayward,  have  gone  over  the  land  allotted  and  have  found  it 
to  be  in  accordance  with  our  wishes,  and  we  approve  of  the  returns  of 
said  surveyor  as  shown  by  monuments  and  the  plat  of  the  land,  and  we 
have  personally  inspected  this  report  and  find  that  it  shows  the  result 
of  our  action  and  that  the  work  of  the  Qerk  is  hereby  approved. 

(Following  this  are  the  divisions  and  allotments,  by  metes  and 
bounds,  which  are  omitted  here  as  being  not  pertinent  to  the  purpose 
of  this  document. — E.  O.  R.) 

Sam'l  Foltz, 

Wm.  Becker, 

Henry  S.  Fisher. 

Division  Commissioners, 

Signed  Sept.  1,  1898,  at  Zoar,  Ohio. 

Geo.  E.  Hayward,  Clerk. 

And  whereas  by  the  terms  and  provisions  of  said  written  contract 
we  and  each  of  us,  and  each  of  said  deceased  members,  covenanted  and 
agreed  one  with  the  other  and  each  one  with  all  the  others,  that  we  and 
the  said  Christian  Ackerman  and  Frederick  Breil  would  accept  the  allot- 
ments and  parcels  of  said  real  estate  which  should  be  set  apart  to  us 
respectively  by  the  said  commissioners  as  our  respective  shares  of  the 
whole  from  which  said  allotments  should  be  made,  and  that  each  of  ua 
would  then  by  a proper  deed  of  conveyance  executed  and  delivered,  re- 
lease all  our  respective  rights,  title  and  interest  and  estate  to  each  of 
the  others  of  us  in  and  to  the  respective  allotments  and  parcels  set  apart 
to  us  respectively  and  would  do  and  perform  all  things  necessary  on  our 
respective  parts  to  make  good  title  to  the  respective  owners  of  said  allot- 
ments and  parcels.  Now,  therefore,  we  and  each  of  us  in  consideration 
of  said  written  contract  and  for  the  purpose  of  fully  carrying  out  its 
provisions  in  regard  to  said  real  estate  on  our  respective  parts  as  well 
as  in  consideration  of  the  sum  of  one  dollar  to  each  of  us  in  hand  paid 
by  each  of  the  others  of  us,  the  receipt  of  which  is  hereby  acknowledged, 
do  hereby  demise,  release  and  forever  quit  claim  to  each  other  and  to 
their  respective  heirs  and  assigns  forever,  all  our  right,  title  and  interest 
and  estate,  legal  and  equitable,  in  and  to  the  several  parcels  and  allot- 
ments designated  by  numbers  to  each  of  us  respectively  in  the  said  state- 
ment and  report  of  the  said  Commissioners,  and  designated  by  the  same 
numbers  and  by  our  respective  names  on  the  parcels  allotted  to  us  re- 
spectively upon  the  said  plat  of  said  allotment  of  said  lands,  a copy  of 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society. 


103 


which  plat  is  hereto  attached  and  made  a part  and  pared  of  this  deed 
of  conveyance,  and  said  original  plat  will  be  found  on  the  plat  records 
of  said  Tuscarawas  County,  each  of  us  excepting  and  reserving  our  re- 
spective right,  title,  interest  and  estate  in  and  to  the  parcels  and  allot- 
ments so  designated  in  said  statement  and  report  and  on  said  plat  to 
each  of  us. 

In  witness  whereof  we  and  each  of  us  have  subscribed  our  names 
this  20th  day  of  September,  A.  D.  1898. 

(Signatures  following  next  omitted). 

(Certificate  of  Acknowledgment  follows  here). 

And  whereas  the  said  The  Society  of  Separatists  of  Zoar,  a corpora- 
tion organized  under  the  laws  of  the  State  of  Ohio,  and  named  in  the 
foregoing  deed  of  conveyance  of  the  members  of  the  second  class  of 
the  said  The  Society  of  Separatists  of  Zoar,  by  John  Bimeler,  Joseph 
Breymaier  and  Christian  Ruof,  its  duly  elected  and  qualified  Trustees, 
being  duly  authorized  and  empowered  thereto  by  a resolution  entered  in 
the  minute  book  and  journal  of  the  said  Society  on  the  10th  day  of  March, 
A.  D.  1898,  for  and  on  behalf  of  the  said  The  Society  of  Separatists  of 
Zoar,  executed  the  written  contract  mentioned  in  said  foregoing  deed  of 
conveyance,  reference  to  which  is  hereby  made,  whereby  they  covenanted 
and  agreed  with  all  the  members  of  the  second  class  of  the  said  The 
Society  of  Separatists  of  Zoar,  named  in  the  foregoing  deed  of  convey- 
ance, that  they  would  when  the  division  and  allotments  provided  for  in 
said  written  contract  should  have  been  made  and  accepted  by  said  mem- 
bers, by  proper  deed  or  deeds  convey  the  legal  title  to  each  of  said  parcels 
and  allotments  to  the  respective  parties  to  whom  the  same  should  be 
awarded  by  the  commissioners  named  in  said  written  agreement. 

And  whereas  the  said  Commissioners  have  made  their  statement  and 
report  in  writing  and  have  in  said  written  report  designated  by  consecu- 
tive numbers  the  parts,  parcels  and  allotments  awarded  by  them  to  the 
members  of  the  second  class  respectively,  who  are  now  living,  and  to 
the  respective  heirs  of  Christian  Ackerman  and  Frederick  Breil,  two  of 
said  members  of  the  second  class  who  have  died  intestate,  leaving  heirs 
since  they  signed  said  written  contract  and  have  caused  to  be  prepared 
by  George  E.  Hayward,  the  surveyor  selected  and  appointed  by  the  said 
members  of  the  second  class,  by  the  terms  of  said  written  contract  a 
plat  of  said  division  and  allotment  on  which  is  designated  by  the  same 
numbers  and  the  respective  names  of  the  said  several  members  of  the 
second  class  the  parts  and  portions  of  said  real  estate  awarded  to  each 
of  said  living  members  and  to  the  heirs  of  the  said  two  deceased  members, 
and  showing  by  said  numbers  and  names  the  parts  and  portions  awarded 
to  some  of  said  members  jointly  and  the  others  thereof  severally,  which 
written  report  and  statement  of  said  commissioners  is  incorporated  into 
and  is  a part  of  the  said  foregoing  deed  of  said  members  and  is  hereby 
made  a part  of  this  deed  of  conveyance,  and  a copy  of  said  plat  is  attached 


104 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society. 


to  and  made  a part  of  said  foregoing  deed  and  is  hereby  made  part  and 
parcel  of  this  deed  of  conveyance,  and  the  second  of  which  plat  will  be 
found  in  plat  records  of  said  Tuscarawas  County,  and  whereas  the  said 
living  members  and  each  of  them  have  accepted  their  respective  portions 
and  allotments  as  designated  in  the  said  commissioners  report  and  on 
said  plat  as  aforesaid,  and  have  executed  and  delivered  their  foregoing 
deed  of  release  as  between  themselves  and  have  fully  complied  with  the 
terms  of  said  written  contract  on  their  part  to  be  performed  in  respect 
to  the  division  of  said  real  estate. 

Now,  therefore,  in  consideration  of  the  foregoing  premises  and  for 
the  purpose  of  carrying  into  effect  the  terms  and  provisions  of  the  afore- 
said written  contract,  as  well  as  in  consideration  of  the  sum  of  one  hun- 
dred dollars  to  it  in  hand  paid  and  the  receipt  whereof  is  hereby  acknowl- 
edged, the  said  The  Society  of  Separatists  of  Zoar,  has  bargained  and 

sold  and  does  hereby  grant,  bargain,  sell  and  convey  unto  the  said 

(Names  omitted  here)  and  their  heirs  and  assigns  forever  the  several 
parts  and  parcels  and  allotments  of  said  real  estate  set  apart  to  them 
respectively  by  the  commissioners  and  designated  and  described  by  them 
in  their  said  report,  and  designated  and  described  by  their  numbers  and 
names  on  said  copy  of  said  plat  as  aforesaid  and  on  their  respective  parts, 
parcels  and  allotments  as  aforesaid,  together  with  all  the  appurtenances, 
rights,  privileges  and  easements  thereunto  belonging  or  in  any  wise 
appertaining. 

To  have  and  to  hold  the  same  to  said  living  members  respectively  and 
and  to  their  respective  heirs  and  assigns  forever,  either  jointly  or  sever- 
ally, as  they  appear  in  the  said  report  of  said  Commissioners  and  on  said 
copy  of  said  plat. 

In  Testimony  Whereof  the  said  grantor,  the  said  The  Society  of 
Separatists  of  Zoar,  by  John  Bimeler,  Joseph  Breymaier  and  Christian 
Ruof,  its  Trustees,  has  caused  its  signature  to  be  hereunto  subscribed  and 
its  corporate  seal  to  be  hereto  affixed  this  20th  day  of  September,  A.  D. 
1898. 

\ The  Society  of  Separatists  of  Zoar, 
Executed  and  delivered  in  § 

our  presence.  f By  John  Bimeler, 

Mrs.  Kate  Hayward,  1 [Seal]  Joseph  Breymaier, 

James  G.  Patrick.  \ Christian  Ruof, 

I Trustees. 


The  State  of  Ohio, 
Tuscarawas  County, 


Before  me  a Notary  Public  in  and  for  said  County  personally  ap- 
peared the  above  named  John  Bimeler,  Joseph  Breymaier  and  Christian 
Ruof,  the  Trustees  of  the  above  named  The  Society  of  Separatists  of  Zoar, 
and  acknowledged  the  signing  and  sealing  with  the  corporate  seal  of  the 


History  of  the  Zoar  Society. 


105 


said  The  Society  of  Separatists  of  Zoar,  of  the  foregoing  conveyance  to 
be  their  voluntary  official  act  and  deed  as  the  Trustees  of  said  corpora- 
tion and  the  voluntary  corporate  act  and  deed  of  the  said  The  Society 
of  Separatists  of  Zoar. 

In  Testimony  Whereof  I hereunto  subscribe  my  official  signature  and 
affix  my  official  seal  this  20th  day  of  September,  A.  D.  1898. 

(Stamps,  $182.00,  cancelled.) 

James  G.  Patrick, 

[Seal]  Notary  Public. 

Received  October  10,  1898  at  10  A.  M. 

Recorded  October  13,  1898. 


M.  Schneider,  Recorder, 


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